


Burned It Down With Straight Fire

by AshelleArdale



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-01-04 16:53:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21200966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshelleArdale/pseuds/AshelleArdale
Summary: Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch have something that just can't be ignored, but it's never that simple when you're talking about the world of WWE. How do they navigate their feelings for each other, success and failures, and taking on the mantel of WWE's premiere power couple?Chapters should be able to stand on their own but will build on each other.





	1. Just a White Lie

**Author's Note:**

> A new strategy I'm trying for fics, each chapter should more or less be able to stand on its own but will build on each other. You can skip around or read them in order. 
> 
> In this world, the fictional characters of Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins (as well as all their friends) are pro-wrestlers who are performing drummed up versions of their personalities. Art mimics life, but this isn't meant to be a story about the ACTUAL lives of actual people.

Seth had settled in for the night, his hair pulled back in a low bun, his skinny jeans exchanged for his favorite pair of old sweatpants. On his tablet, he flipped through the graphic novel he’d begun on the plane. Some superstars had no problem going out and partying leading up to a pay-per-view, but Seth was finding his body needed the rest more and more. Tomorrow he’d celebrate NXT TakeOver War Games and there would surely be a Survivor Series afterparty. Tonight, he appreciated the quiet of Becky Lynch’s LA townhouse. The Four Horsewomen were out with Cesaro and Sheamus, and Finn had gotten a last-minute hotel room when his new fiancée decided to come out. In one of her many guest rooms, Seth made himself at home. He had just gotten to a well-earned fight scene when he heard keys jangle and the front door open. It slammed shut and from his open door, he caught a glimpse of orange hair storming past.

“Bex?”

She stopped and peered in, brows furrowed, “what’re you doin’ here?”

“You invited a bunch of us to stay with you for Survivor Series, remember champ?”

Becky scrunched her nose up at him. “Y’know what I meant. Aren’t you out with the lads?”

“Aren’t you out with the gals? I thought you were with Sasha and Bayley-“

“I wasn’t,” She said matter-of-factly. “I was at the trainer’s.”

Seth put down his tablet and sat up on the bed, nodding for her to sit next to him. “How’d it go?”

“I’m not…”she gulped, playing with a bracelet on her arm as she sat down on the bed. “I’m not cleared.”

“To compete?”

“To do jack shit.” Her voice cracked a little and she pushed through the tears building in her eyes. “This was my chance and I lost it.”

“Bex, Bex, hey, c’mon.” He pulled her into his shoulder, and she began to break down. “This isn’t your only chance, there will be others, you’ll make sure of it.”

“It’s so fuckin’ unfair,” she sobbed as he ran his hand over her hair. “I’ve worked so. Damn. Hard.”

“I know, I know it,” Seth leaned them back against the pillows of the guest bed, letting her head fall to his chest. He’d been in this spot so many times before. Maybe not sobbing into the t-shirt of one of his friends while they pet his head, but he had gone to Dean or Roman or Finn broken down and devastated more times than he could count.

“I don’t know why I can’t stop cryin’…I just. I need to sleep. I ‘aven’t slept.”

He chuckled softly as tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. It was incredible how clear it could be when it wasn’t your own injury.

“Because you’re concussed,” he reminded her. That just sparked another round of big, heavy tears. “Hey, it’s okay, I’ve got you.”

They stayed like that for a while, a long while, so long he lost track of time. For some strange reason, he found he didn’t care. His grey t-shirt had a noticeable dark stain and her hair was falling loosely over his chest. The tears themselves, he had realized, had only stopped because Becky had fallen asleep. Maybe she just needed to let go. Seth didn’t mind, he liked the feeling of her hair on his fingertips and the way her chest rose and fell so calmly.

Minutes passed, maybe an hour. His phone buzzed with a facetime request, and he popped back in his air pods as quickly as he could without moving Becky from his chest. She stirred a little but didn’t move, far too comfortable. She let her eyes squint open, still not moving her head which was heavy and groggy.

“Hey Em,” Seth’s voice was low and gentle, “yeah, I’m good, flight was good. Oh? That’s great. Listen, can I call you back later? Finn and I are trying to console Becky, she’s off the show and in bad shape so we…yeah exactly. Knew you’d understand. Okay yeah, talk later. I um, yeah, love you too.”

Becky raised her head, it was pounding. She turned and looked at Seth, her brows furrowed. Her throat was dry and her voice was shaky as she cleared it.

“Hey sleepyhead-“ Seth began but she cut him off.

“That was Emily?”

He gulped. Emily was Seth’s girlfriend from Davenport, Becky had met her last April at the Hall of Fame ceremony. She planned corporate events at organized weddings at the local Marriott. Emily was sweet, though she never seemed to have a whole lot to say. She most certainly didn’t crave the spotlight, letting Seth take the lead in on that front. At the ceremony, she looked gorgeous in a simple, long black dress, but her face betrayed a sense that the whole thing had her little out of sorts. Becky couldn’t help but suspect that he was always keeping her at arm’s length. Last she had heard from Cesaro, who was a surprising gossip, she was dropping hints about looking for a ring and Seth was willfully ignoring them.

“Yeah, yeah but I told her I’d call her back. No big deal, I just-“

“I heard.”

“Right, she was fine with it.”

Becky narrowed her eyes, “you told her Finn was here.”

Seth sighed, “Yeah, I did. I just didn’t want her to think…”

“You lied to her. Just bald face, casual, no remorse?”

“It’s not like that. Bex, it’s just a white lie. If she knew it was just us she might think…she might get the wrong idea. I just wanted to avoid the fight.”

She ran a hand through her hair, smoothing it over where it had poofed up against Seth’s chest, and shook her head. “You ought to be careful Rollins.”

_We_. She thought. That’s what she meant. _We ought to be careful_. 

He nodded, she was right, and he knew it. The lie was an admission of guilt, because if they really were just friends, and there was nothing for Emily to be worried about, then he wouldn’t have had to lie about it.

“Call her back, I need a shower.”

With that, she slid off the bed and walked off without another look behind her. She wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction of the look in her eye. The veil of righteousness had surely faded, and the pure disappointment was pushing through. What exactly did she even want him to say? That he would rather be laying there with Becky asleep on his chest than talking to his girlfriend of a year and a half? What good would that do? As long as he was putting off breaking it off, there was nothing she could say and nothing she could do but pretend she was angry at him when really, the truth was, she was devastated.

When she shut the door behind her, Seth groaned. Was every woman in the world mad at him all at once? He pulled open the calendar on his phone. It was over halfway through November. Emily’s voice rang through his head. _End of the year, Seth, or I’ve got to move on. You understand that, don’t you?_

Of course he did. She was turning 35 in January and given she didn’t have to worry about starting a family meaning full-stop pausing her career for 2 years, she was feeling the clock more than his wrestling friends. How long could he expect her to wait around for him to be certain he wanted to marry her? He wasn’t even sure what he was afraid of, what he was waiting to feel. In the back of his head, a small voice nudged, reminding him of the warm feeling in his chest when Becky snuggled up against it. Something like that.


	2. Running Out the Clock

The New Year’s Eve party was one of the few traditions Seth had made for himself in his adult life. It had started as an office party more or less, with his trainers at Black and Brave. Then his business grew, the coffee shop, Deadboys Fitness. His brother invited a few friends, then Emily brought a whole crew when they started dating. Once she was in the picture, it went from delivery pizza and cheap champagne to a full-blown event. The event of the season, if he knew her as well as he thought he did.

Two dozen or so of their Davenport friends mingled around his new construction home, traditional but open concept. Emily always said it was perfect for entertaining, she remised how rarely they had people over. The cater was finishing up dessert in the kitchen as voices and laughter rang through the great room. Seth stole a look at his watch. 11:30, not long now.

Emily looked beautiful in her new dress, he’d told her as much earlier in the evening when she showed it to him with a twirl. The emerald green velvet was perfect on her tan skin and light brown hair. It had made him smile, how much she enjoyed putting the whole thing on. She loved nothing more than a great presentation. Maybe that was why they were so good at pretending. A couple of days ago, he’d come home from tour and she walked him through her preparations at exhausting detail. Right after, of course, showing him her new manicure and asking if he liked the color. The pit he felt in his stomach at that moment was creeping back in. He wasn’t oblivious, he knew why she had gotten that manicure.

Plus, if she was trying to be subtle about what she thought, or wished, was happening tonight, she was not doing a very good job of it. All of her friends were giddy, stealing glances back at him every time they thought he was looking away. One was whispering to her now, Emily fixed her eyes on Seth and grinned. He raised a glass and gave her a half-hearted smile.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Rollins,” Joshy, his partner and trainer slapped him on the back.

“I really just want tonight to be over already,” he muttered. Joshy tipped his head quizzically. “I mean, I’ve just got a lot on my mind and I feel like everyone is watching me. It makes my skin crawl.”

Joshy considered it for a minute, “normally I wouldn’t stroke your ego man but, yeah I think everyone is watching you.”

Seth looked around, it really did feel like everyone had their eyes on him. Another look at the clock, 11:45. “Think she told them all?”

“Maybe a few, then those told a few, and then those told a few…”

“I got it.” He groaned to himself. “She’s gonna kill me.”

“No, but she is gonna dump you.”

There was no denying that as the clock ticked slowly closer to midnight. 11:55, Seth poured himself another drink and tried to calm his anxiety. 11:57, it would be over soon, they would all move on. 11:58, he briefly entertained the thought of just doing it, just giving her what she wanted so badly if that meant keeping her in his life. 11:59, that was insanity and he knew it. 

“10! 9! 8!” Everyone started counting down and Emily took his hand, smiling up at him.

“7! 6!” He gave it a half-hearted squeeze.

“5! 4!” She pressed her left hand to his chest and leaned her head against his shoulder

“3!” He kissed the top of her head and smoothed her hair with his hand.

“2!” Seth gulped and let out a long exhale.

“1!” Emily looked up at him expectedly.

“Happy new year!” Everyone cheered and hugged, champagne glasses clinking and noisemakers ringing out.

Seth looked down at Emily and gave her a sad sort of smile. He kissed her quickly, “happy New Year, Em.”

“Uh…yeah…happy New Year, Seth.” She watched him as he walked off to say goodnight to the rest of their guests. He tried not to look back at the disappointment on her face.

Later that night, she was brushing her hair in the en-suite bathroom while Seth stretched out on the bed. His hamstrings were killing him and he folded over his left leg with a groan. Emily came to the doorframe, smoothing the ends of her hair and watching him. He looked over to her from the side.

“Hey there,”

“You could’ve said something.”

Seth sighed and sat back up. “I know, I’m sorry.”

“If you knew…you were never going to propose tonight.” She shook her head, “I don’t get it. Why wouldn’t you just tell me?”

“I just didn’t want to ruin your party.”

Emily laughed out loud, high pitched and bitter. “You really don’t know me at all, do you, Seth?”

“I guess not.”

She turned and closed the door with huff, leaving Seth alone to think about what he had just done. What was that they said about not making a decision? It was a choice in its own right.

XXX

The following week, Seth lingered in one of the backstage room as Xavier and Cesaro finished up filming Up Up Down Down.

“How’s it goin’?” Becky appeared at his side, handing over a cup of coffee.

“Hey, thanks.” He took a sip, “mmm strong stuff.”

“Nothin’ weak when the man comes around.”

He smiled at her from the side, “how was your New Years?”

“Oh, y’know, pretty quiet.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

Becky grinned, “that it was. How about you?”

Seth took an inhale, “well, there’s actually something I was hoping I could get your advice on. Seeing as you run Twitter.”

“I’m flattered, let’s see then,” She held out her hand for his phone and he handed it over open to the Tweet draft.

_Emily and I have decided to go our separate ways and to follow our own paths in life. I’m so grateful for the time we had together. She is an incredible person who deserves every wonderful thing possible in this world, including her privacy. We sign up for this as entertainers, she didn’t, so do me a favor and direct all of your opinions my way instead._

He watched her read it, studying her face, but she didn’t give anything away.

“That’s nice,” she handed it back to him. “Very noble of you.”

“Too snarky?”

“No such thing.”

Seth nodded in agreement as he sent the Tweet live, “thanks.”

“Yeah ‘course. So um, that’s how your New Year’s Eve was, huh?”

Pausing for a moment, he considered what to say. How could he express that his relationship had slowly disintegrated over the course of the past six months? “It was my fault.” He shrugged, “can’t blame her for walking away.”

“This about a ring?”

“Or lack thereof…Cesaro tell you that?”

Becky chuckled and tilted her head, “gotta watch that one. But I get it, I’ve been there.”

“I’ve been engaged before, you know? And if I ever do it again, I’m gonna be goddamn sure this time.”

“If?”

He hadn’t even noticed he had said it, “yeah I mean, I want to but, things aren’t looking too great on that front.”

“Guess you’ll have to wait for someone who makes ya goddamn sure.”

She gave him a little smile that made his stomach tie up in a knot. “Guess I will.”


	3. Rebecca

_Are you home next weekend?_

Seth’s stomach dropped the moment the text message came across his lock screen.

_I can be._

He texted back, biting his lip as he sent it. Did that sound cold?

_You don’t have to be, I just was gonna stop by and get that stuff on Saturday. I can leave your key on the table. Didn’t you have that concert?_

Looking off to the distance he considered it. He did have that concert, the one he really, really wanted to go to even though it was all the way in LA. Emily had fought him on it, citing the fact that he was hardly home as it were, and wouldn’t Bring Me the Horizon be in Iowa eventually anyway? She wasn’t wrong, he was actively spending less and less time in their house as the past 6 months went on. It seemed almost cruel to ditch the dying breaths of their relationship to go to that very concert.

“Ya alive in there, Rollins?”

His head snapped up as a smirking redhead sat next to him in the abandoned backstage area. Most were over at one of the monitors, watching the Men’s Elimination Chamber match. Seth had found a quiet corner where no one would bother him. The past six weeks had been a rollercoaster and small talk was unbearable. Most of it, anyway.

“Hey Bex, uh. Yeah. Living to fight another day.” He laughed. She didn’t.

“What’s wrong, bud?”

“Okay I must look real pathetic if you’re being nice to me after that last Twitter feud.”

“Don’t be silly, Mr. Royal Rumble,” she laughed and his heart dropped a tiny bit, “I’m always nice.”

“Well if you must know, Ms. Royal Rumble, Emily’s packing her things. She wants to pick up the big stuff this weekend.”

“I’m sorry, man. Really” she stared at him until he met her eye, blazing hazel, “I think ya did the right thing if ya weren’t gonna be able to give her what she wanted.”

“A little late, probably.”

Truth was, he knew when she'd laid out the ultimatum that they’d end up here, with her cleaning out her stuff while he was on the road. Over the past 6 months, they’d increasingly become more like roommates than anything else. Not just because of the sex, which in total fairness was scarce and relatively passionless. No, it was more than that, all the romance had faded away. They said the words but they didn’t really mean it. He should’ve broken it off then and there, but he didn’t.

“It’s never too late. For anything.”

Seth chuckled, “thanks, Becky. Will you be mean to me again now?”

“Oh sure, whatever you want. You’re the Man. Oh wait, that’s me.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s you.” He nudged her and she laughed, pushing back against her slightly.

She tucked her hair behind her ears and stood suddenly. “This’ll be over soon. I should go find Sash and Bayley, see how they wanna celebrate.”

“Yeah, have fun. Give them my best.”

“You’re not coimin’ out?”

Seth shook his head, “I think I’ll just have a night in.”

“Well, I’ll see ya on Friday night yeah? At Horizon?”

He paused for a minute, “yeah, I’ll be there.”

XXX

He’d been to her condo half a dozen times before, but Seth couldn’t help but feel a little bit different this time. They had hung out a ton, alone plenty of times, but not alone in one of their homes. There was an unusal intimacy to the privacy. She led him up the stairway lined with photos of her friends and family to the second-floor landing. Since it was just him this time, she had him set up in the nicest of the guest rooms across the hall from the master. Though the living area was simpler and more minimalist, the upstairs was shockingly pretty, almost sweet, with pale yellows and blues. He chuckled to himself at this side he never got to see of her.

“You got enough plants, Lynch? Jeez.”

“I like plants!” She furrowed her eyebrows at him as she led him down the hallway.

“Who takes care of them when you’re on the road?”

“The kid next door, he’s a little piece of shit so, we get on well.”

Seth cackled at that, “some of the stories Finn tells me…”

“Exactly. So here’s your room, it’s not much but my parents don’t complain so I better not hear anythin’ from you.”

It was bigger than the one downstairs and even had an en-suite attached. The queen-sized bed was cozy, piled high with white fluffy pillows and a large chunky knit blanket. The room was welcoming and warm, you could tell that she had put a lot of time and effort into making sure whoever stayed there was comfortable in her home.

“It’s lovely,” he collapsed on the bed, “ooh good mattress.”

“Oi! Get your shoes off my duvet ya animal.”

“It’s fine, look,” he scooted himself so his feet hung off the edge of the bed, “nowhere near your duvet”

Becky looked from his dangling feet to his face and back again. She was getting that look in her eye, the one that made him feel very strange, unfamiliar things. Without another word, she grabbed onto his ankles and pulled him forward, clean off the bed.

“Whoa whoa whoa!”

Becky stumbled as he started to fall and he caught her as she hit the ground too.

“I freaking hate you,” Seth grumbled, though he didn’t move his arm from around her shoulders.

“Ya alright?” she leaned her head against the bed as they both erupted in laughter.

“Just peachy, Rebecca, just peachy.”

“Rebecca?” Her face changed slightly, she looked from his eyes to his lips and back to his eyes again, “no one calls me Rebecca.”

“I just did,” he said with a little smile.

She shook her head, “Careful, I’ll slap the head off ya, don’t think I won’t.”

“I know ya will,” he mimicked her accent, earning a smile from ear to ear from her.

“Uh, well,” she suddenly became aware of how long his arm had lingered on her shoulder and glance to it. He pulled away like it was a hot stove. “I’m uh,”

“Yeah, I should take a shower before we head out.”

Becky scurried out of the room, trying not to think about how close their bodies just were. A little while later, she heard the water running in the guest bathroom and a chill went through her body.

“Shit.” She ran to the linen closet and took a deep breath before knocking on the bathroom door. “Hey Seth?”

“Yeah?”

“I think I forgot the towels.”

Through the door, she could hear him let out that signature cackle. Becky felt herself blushing and she hated him for it.

“I’ll leave them right here-“

“The door’s open,” he shouted.

Of course. God he was a tease sometimes. He got quite the kick out of making her flustered in her own home, didn’t he? What would give him more satisfaction than the picture of her walking in a set of towels as he stood behind the frosted glass stark naked? Well she wasn’t going to give it to him. She was going to go in there with her head high and hardly give him a second glance.

As she opened the door, Seth was combing his hair, his shoulders and head above the frosted panes only obscured by the steam of his shower. Becky walked right past him, though his eyes followed her, setting the stack of towels down on the counter.

“Actually, could you hand me one?”

Her head snapped back, Seth was sticking his out of the slightly open shower door. Seth gave her a little smile.

“I’m done.”

Becky bit her lip and tilted her head, considering going in there herself. To feel his hands all over her body and the hot water trailing right after. Without turning around or meeting his eye in the mirror, she tossed a towel back towards him and heard his laugh ringing in her ear.

“I’ll let you get dressed, Rollins,”

“Bye, Lynch.”


	4. At a Crossroads

It was nearly 2 am by the time Horizon was done. Which, in fairness, was pretty tame all things considered. Seth seemed anxious to go, so Becky didn’t force the issue, even if she wanted to hang around and meet up with the band after. He was like that these days, maybe it was all the stress of winning the Royal Rumble, she sure could relate to that. Or maybe it was the breakup, the one he’d essentially allowed to last 6 months instead of 6 weeks. He never seemed comfortable anywhere. Except maybe, leaning against her guest room bed, laughing with her.

“Ya want a drink?” Becky asked as she unlocked the front door, “a beer or… I dunno Charlotte may have left some wine last time she was in town.”

“Beer is great.” He tossed his keys onto the table with a clank, so casual, like he lived there himself. He wandered over to the big window facing the San Gabriel Mountains, the number one selling point of this particular complex. It wasn’t the closest to them, nonetheless one of the 3-5 million-dollar homes nestled in the winding mountains themselves, but the views were still stunning.

“You can see it better from my balcony. C’mon.”

He followed her up the stairs again, this time into the master suite. As they crossed the spacious room, he tried not to let his eyes linger on her bed. Instead, he reminded himself to focus on the mountains, illuminated by the full moon and lights of the Colorado Street Bridge far in the distance. Seth leaned forward on the DIY bar top, sipping something hoppy and dark and looking out at the night. He didn’t say anything.

“Okay seriously, Seth,” she finally said, “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing! I’m just-“

“Ya can tell me. I know I give ya shit, Rollins, but that’s because I respect you. You can handle it.”

“I know,” he said softly, raising his eyes to meet hers, “this weekend is just tough.”

Becky tipped her head, “because of Emily?”

He nodded, “Among other things. Change is in the air. I’ve never been much good with it, I like status quo, you know? I’ll do whatever it takes to move my career forward, but when it comes to my personal life, I get this paralysis sometimes. Can’t stay, can’t go. Guess that’s what made me such a shitty boyfriend.”

“That’s not true.” She sighed and sat her own beer down on the table next to his, pretending to be unaware of his eyes falling down to the butt of her tight jeans. He pulled them away just as quickly and she made a feeble attempt to change the subject.

“What do you think?”

“Hm?”

“Of the view? Of the mountains?”

“Oh uh, it’s gorgeous,” he laughed, flustered a little bit. “Sorry if I’m not quite myself.”

Becky shook her head, “you don’t have to apologize.”

“You ever feel like you’re at a crossroads in your life?” he adjusted his snapback, and she couldn’t help but notice how his t-shirt was sticking to his skin in the humid night air.

“Think I know what you mean.” She took a swig of her drink, holding it to have something natural to do with her hands.

“One way, it’s Emily. It’s my house becoming our home, a couple of kids. I’d probably have to drop down my schedule, she’d tell me to focus on my businesses in Davenport…” he stared off along the lights of the city.

“And the other way?” she gulped slightly after she asked.

Seth’s face broke out into a smile, “the other way is becoming the Universal Champion at WrestleMania and going until I can’t go anymore.”

Becky couldn’t help but smile back, “I’m glad you chose that way, then.”

He nodded, “I am too, I should’ve…I should’ve been more decisive about it. I didn’t need to draw it out like that. But now, I mean, whatever the time frame actually is, I think we’re both past it. We’re both okay, we’re ready to get on with our lives and that’s worth something, yeah?”

“Yeah. I like Emily, she’s great,”

“But?”

“But maybe she wasn’t great for you. Maybe,” she took a deep breath, why was this so hard? She stepped towards him, narrowing the already minimal space between their faces, “maybe she just wasn’t the right fit. Maybe what you need is someone who matches your ambition and your fight, your-“

“Fire?” his eyes were narrowed, burning a hole through her. She forced herself to look at him straight, even though she just wanted to run and hide under the nearest piece of furniture. He was giving her that look, the kind that made her feel strange, unfamiliar things.

“Yes. Fire.”

And then he was kissing her. It was sudden, impulsive. One moment, nothing, the next, his lips on hers and all the air leaving her lungs all at once. There was a splash as she jumped out of her skin, but she paid it no mind, because nothing could distract from those soft lips on her own and his hand firmly on her hip.

They broke apart, leaving the air thick between them. Becky opened her eyes and Seth was looking down with those big old doe eyes. He looked as shocked as she was that he had done it. Then she looked down at the beer spilled all over her graphic t-shirt.

“Aw shit,” she whipped it down with her hand, “look what ya done now.”

“Sorry,” he smirked, “here,”

Seth spilled a bit of his own beer down the front of his white t-shirt, turning it a muddy yellow color. “Now we’re even.” His eyes trained on her v-neck and she knew full well that they were not even.

She kept his eye for a moment. It was certainly a dilemma. Keep him at bay and keep her upper hand. Or give in, and get him, all of him, his lips on hers again, his hands on her hips and much, much more.

“Well. This’ll stain,” she turned on her heel and pulled her t-shirt over her head on her way towards the door, revealing the black lacy bra underneath.

Seth stood there for a moment, shocked, watching her walk away.

“Uh should I…should I take mine off too?

“Yes!” came a shout from the inside.


	5. I am Hers and She is Mine

Seth couldn’t get his shirt off fast enough. Or his jeans, which, as it seems, were actually really hard to get off. Guess it had been a minute since he had really had that kind of whirlwind, passionate, nothing else matters, kind of sex.

He followed her to the bathroom where she was half-heartedly washing the stain out of her shirt. Her eyes were trained on his in the mirror and he pushed her up against the counter, kissing her neck until she turned around and reached for the waistband of his boxers. They giggled their way back into the bedroom and crashed onto the bed together.

When they both had shed all their outer layers, Becky climbed on top of him, straddling him and kissing that crook in his neck that made him shiver.

“Bex,” he let out with a sigh.

She stopped kissing for a moment, “what?”

He laughed, leaning his head back on the pillows. “You’re beautiful, that’s what.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“I just, leave me alone and kiss me will ya?”

“As you wish,” he sat up and enveloped her in his arms before rolling them both over.

“Seth!” she tried to shout but he covered her mouth with his, sliding a leg in between hers, followed by his hands until she was moaning.

“Well,” he pressed his lips to her ear, keeping his voice as low and steady as he could, “someone is excited to see me.”

“Oh you should talk.”

He pressed his thumb harder against her and she let out a gasp.

“Easy, easy,” he started rubbing slow circles over her underwear, “you might soak through these things before I even get to work.”

“So take ‘em off,” she kissed up and down his neck, getting a groan of her own from him.

He didn’t need to be told twice, looping his fingers underneath the sides and pulling them off in a swift movement. As he leaned back down to kiss her she pressed a finger to his lips.

“Uh, I was wonderin’…there’s a rumor around the locker room about ya…”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

She bit her lip and blushed, hardly even feeling ashamed of it anymore. He had her.

“That you’re…skilled with ya tongue.”

Seth raised an eyebrow, trying to play it cool but clearly bursting with excitement. A grin broke out across his face and he cackled.

“And who told you that huh?”

She sat up on her elbows, “well, I think Zahara told Sonya, and Sonya told Mandy, and Mandy told-“

“Everyone,” he sighed but the smirk was still painted on his face.

“Then Charly Caruso confirmed it.”

“That was one time,” he realized he could be on thin ice here. Becky would not take lightly to competition.

But she held his gaze, challenging, “and Finn.”

He felt himself blushing, not that it was exactly a secret, but it wasn’t something he wore like a badge of honor either. “That was one-“

“Bullshit,” she was grinning, enjoying herself.

“Two times.”

“Three. He’s my best friend or have ya forgotten?”

“Three,” Seth admitted. “And he told you I was good with my tongue?”

“He implied…”

The smirk returned to his face, “well I suppose you’ll want to know for yourself. Say please.”

“Say please? Do you know who I am? I am the Man. I do not say please.”

“All the more reason to lay back and let me take care of you.”

Becky raised an eyebrow but relented, laying back on the pillows and whispering a barely audible _please_. He accepted it and started, as slowly as he could manage to contain himself, kissing her neck. Further down, he discarded the black bra as soon as his lips reached it. With a nipple in his mouth, he twirled his tongue around it, then bit down just hard enough to make her jump and her eyelids flutter.

“Like that?”

“Love that-“ she said breathlessly.

Seth evened her off and although she knew it was coming, she jumped just as much on the other side.

“Hurry up!” his lips were trailing down her abdomen, and she was clearly getting antsy.

“Easy, easy, baby. I’ll give you what ya want, don’t ya worry.”

She chuckled, “baby?”

Seth stopped and looked up at her eyes, “you heard me.”

“I’m no one’s-oh!”

He hadn’t given her the chance to argue, going right for her clit. When he was confident that she was subdued, he kissed along her inner thighs and dragged his tongue over every inch of skin before going to work on the real deal. Three accounts of his talents couldn’t be wrong, he supposed, he always did enjoy this. The way they always buckled under his touch, how their breath became labored and their hands always found their way to his hair. Becky was no different, and she gripped hard. She was also loud, almost screaming at this point. It was her house, after all, she could be as loud as she wanted.

“Seth I’m gonna-“

He hit the breaks and pulled away, “no you’re not.”

“Rollins!”

Slowly, he repeated, “I will give you what you want. When I want to.”

“I fuckin’ hate you. Ya are gonna pay for this, Seth I swear.”

“Exactly.”

Becky looked up at him her cheeks flushed. He had her there.

“Well then, if that’s what you’re after.”

She pulled him down by his neck and rolled him over. Stripping his boxer briefs off, she reached for her bedside table and smirked at his eyes eating her up. A small square package landed on his chest as Becky tossed it at him.

“That’ll fit?”

“Yeah it’ll do.”

A familiar CrossFit wrist wrap landed on him next.

“What about that?”

His eyes widened and he tried to hide his excitement, but he could still tease her a little bit longer. “What are those for?”

Taking his hands in hers she slowly wrapped around both his wrists, binding them together. She raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to protest. Of course, he was going to make her work for it.

“This okay?”

“More than okay, baby, more than okay.”

“What’s your safe word?”

Seth scoffed, clearly amused at the idea her loose wrist wraps would ever push him too far. Still, she held his gaze, waiting.

“Davenport. What’s yours?”

“I don’t need one, if you haven’t noticed.”

“Uh uh, you’re blushing. Just tell me.”

She bit her lip, “it’s, well, Dublin.”

A grin broke out on his face, “you’re fucking with me.”

“I’m not.”

“Can’t fight destiny, huh?”

She tied off the wrap and pushed his hands above his head with just a bit of force.

“Heheh well alright, baby, do your worst.”

With a glint in her eye, she took him in her hand and stroke him slowly. It was her turn to tease now. He was watching her with hooded eyes, like he was unwilling to fully close them and miss a second of it. When he was hot enough for her liking, which incidentally was just as she was starting to lose a little bit of her own self-control, she slid onto him. He let out a throaty groan as she lowered all the way down.

“Well, fuck.” His eyes rolled back and he grasped for her hair with the tips of his fingers. “How do you feel even better than I could ever imagine?”

“Ya been dreamin’ of it a lot?” she asked between bobbing up and down on him.

“Yes.”

Becky smiled smugly, “ya not to bad ya self.”

“Better than you imagined?”

“Oh, I’d say on par.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet.”

“So show me.”

He stared at her for a moment, eyes narrowed, before making a call. “Well fuck this.”

Without much effort at all, he ripped free of the wraps, tossing them to the side. He grabbed on to her butt and pushed her down to the bed as smoothly as he could manage. Looping her legs under his arms, he pushed in again, bottoming out to a gasp that made every hair on his body stand straight up.

“Shit- Seth.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right baby,” he picked up his pace, loving the look of absolute euphoria that was coming over her face.

“Don’t ya dare-“

“No, no, I told ya. I always give you what you want, in due time.”

“Now.”

Harder now, his hands tangled up in her hair, her nails digging into his shoulder blades. Her fists gripped the sheets for support, and his tongue found new ground to explore in the crook of her neck. She let out the loudest moan of the night as she completely unraveled, and it set him off too. Any hope he had of giving her a double was out the window the moment he heard her make that incredible sound.

He rolled off her and caught his breath before looking over. She was looking at him too. They both blushed and laughed.

“Wow, I really didn’t expect-“ he started.

“Yeah ya did,” she laughed, and he followed suit.

“Okay, maybe I hoped. C’mere.”

Seth opened his arms and she curled into them, leaning her head on his chest and listening to the sound of his heartbeat. They lay there for what may have been minutes or hours, she may have even fallen asleep. Eventually, she lifted her head and kissed him lightly. He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her with a gentleness that almost surprised her.

“Hey,” he lowered his voice, his big brown eyes locked on hers. “I want you to be my girl.”

“Ya girl?” she laughed, but he wasn’t.

“Yeah. Girl, girlfriend, whatever you wanna call it, I don’t really care. I want you to be mine. I wanna be yours.”

“Seth,” she ran her thumb over his cheek, “ya just got out of something.”

“Because I was a coward, it’s the ugly truth, Bex. If I hadn’t been so damn scared, we’d have broken up for real months ago. I knew what I wanted and I just couldn’t get up the courage to actually do it. Too scared of getting my heart broken or breaking someone else’s that I let it fall apart. I am not going to let that happen again. Not with us, not with you. You mean too much.”

“Careful Rollins,” she chuckled, “you almost sound romantic.”

“I’ll take my chances if you say yes.”

“Hmm,” she considered the trade and then kissed his cheek, “deal.”

“Yes?”

“Yes.”


	6. Fight for It

The following morning, he talked her into coming with him back to Davenport. Or rather, he pouted about having to leave so quickly until she gave in. Anyway, their next show was within driving distance, so it didn’t hurt to be in Iowa a couple of days early. Seth pulled the Tesla into the garage, already aware that Emily’s favorite teal bike was missing from the bike rack and the Christmas decorations, of which there were many, were gone from the storage shelf.

“So this is home,” he said as he unlocked the door from the garage into the media room. “This is the man cave, well, I guess the whole thing is a man cave now,” he laughed nervously and avoided Becky’s gaze as she looked around.

All of his wrestling memorabilia had been sequestered to the room, along with an impressive collection of Pop figures which had a set of shelves all to themselves. Becky ran her fingers over the plush sectional that took up most of the room.

“Bet this is good for Netflix and chill,” she said with a devious smile.

“Hmm hadn’t thought of that. We should try it.”

“Uh huh,” she continued past him up the stairs and into the main living space. When he followed her his stomach dropped. The house was eerily empty, stripped down to the bare bones of the base furniture as Emily had picked up all of the pieces she had brought with her. Her elegant loveseat was gone, so was the cozy large ottoman that normally sat between Seth’s black sofa and the TV. More than that, the throw pillows were missing, so were the accent lamps, the candles, the decorative vases. He had put away many of the photos of the two of them about a month ago and it hadn’t felt so bad. But combined with everything else, it made the room feel cold and impersonal.

Seth gulped as head lead her into the kitchen and realized the large wood dining table was also gone. Of course, he never saw much of a use for a dining table before Emily. You didn’t need a dining table to eat taco pizza. Without it though, the space was big, looming, and empty.

“Um, there’s normally…furniture…in here.”

Becky shrugged, “kinda like the minimalism.”

“Right.”

“This way for our room?”

A smile broke out on his face, “our?”

“Well it’s ours for tonight ain’t it? Unless you want me in the guest room,”

He didn’t respond, leading her by the hand up to the master suite. Thankfully, that was one place that had stayed largely the same when Emily first moved in. His king-sized bed and plush mattress was one of the places he had splurged and she had only refurnished it with more grown-up, patterned sheets. Those he had switched out right away, it felt wrong to sleep on them. Plain deep green cotton ones replaced them and they contrasted nicely with Becky’s hair as she collapsed on the bed, letting her curls fan out behind her.

“That flight was brutal. It always that bad?”

“Why,” he teased, laying down next to her on his stomach, “you worried about the commute?”

“There really no direct flight?” she groaned. “Might have to trade ya in for somethin’ more convenient.”

Seth chuckled and kissed her lightly, “you wouldn’t dare.”

Becky returned the laugh as she pressed her lips against his harder. Her hands came to frame his face, holding it firmly against hers. One of his tangled in her hair, the other started playing with the hem of her t-shirt, sliding it up to graze the bare skin underneath. She scooted so that more of his body covered hers and slid a leg up and down slowly. Little moans and chuckles escaped them both as they worked their way closer and closer to what they both wanted. He had pressed a kiss on her neck and earned a full, throaty moan when a buzzing broke him out of his trance.

“Ugggh,” he glanced over at his phone on the bedside table and sighed, “sorry it’s my brother. I shouldn’t…”

“Take it,” she sat up, fixing her hair and breathing through the flush on her face.

“One minute,” he promised, standing up to answer the phone. “Hey what’s going on? Yeah no I’m just- I was going to pick him up tonight if that’s- yeah no I know, okay. No it’s alright, I’ll be right there.”

Turning around, Becky had an understanding, if a little disappointed look on her face.

“I’m sorry, he has Kevin and just got called back into the hospital for an emergency. Kev’s been alone all day and-“

“Go.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not goin’ anywhere” she sat up on her knees and kissed his cheek. “ ‘bout time I met my furry stepson, don’t you think?”

Seth hurried off to the other side of town with another kiss and mumbled apology. He warned her it could easily be 15-20 minutes each way with traffic, leaving her with close to an hour to entertain herself. Granted, there was work to be done, flights to book, emails from her publicist to read, and a mock for her new shirt to review. But he had gotten her on edge with their little make-out session before running out the door and she was finding herself a little antsy.

Eventually, she shut her computer with a huff and glanced at the clock. She wasn’t one to wait for the phone to ring, but that didn’t mean she was immune to that nervous energy, or that she couldn’t do anything about it. Digging through her suitcase, she smiled to herself pulling out the lace bra and panty set she’d luckily had the foresight to bring. She slipped a silky black robe over the set, adjusting herself in the mirror of his master bath and mussing her hair just so. This would be fun.

Hearing keys jangle in the front door, she returned to her spot on the bed, scrolling through her phone to give an air of nonchalant sexiness. When he didn’t make his way up to the bedroom after a minute or so, she gave up and bounded down the stairs to meet him in the kitchen.

“I was ‘bout to send a search party-oh!”

The petite woman stood on the step stool, sifting through the high cabinets as she looked over her shoulder at Becky. Emily. She recognized the light brown hair immediately, she was always a little bit envious of people who had that sort of thickness and shine without the help of expensive hair extensions. Becky closed her robe tighter, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks.

“I uh, sorry. Thought ya were Seth…” she managed to stammer.

“I’m not,” she said with an embarrassed laugh, “I’m Emily, I’m the Ex-“

“We’ve met,” Becky said quickly, “at Hall of Fame last year…you had that great dress.”

Emily tilted her head sympathetically, “I met so many people that night. But you’re Becky, right? I recognize you from the CrossFit stuff.”

Becky wished she could somehow pull the robe tighter as she saw Emily’s eyes flicker up and down. There was no hiding what this was. “Yeah, I am. From the CrossFit…stuff.”

Returning to the shelves, Emily pulled out a couple of wine glasses and placed them on the counter. “I won’t be in your hair long, just needed to pick up the fragile stuff. Couldn’t trust my brother with these things yesterday.”

“I know what you mean, I’ve got a brother too, little piece o’ shit.”

“We have that in common,” Emily said with a little hint of bitterness and Becky looked down at her feet.

“Can I help ya at all? I can uh- change real quick.”

Emily laughed, “I’m alright thank you.” She stepped down and packed the glasses into a box on the kitchen island. With a smirk she asked, “That a surprise?”

Becky gulped, “yeah.”

“He’ll love it.” She sighed and looked up at Becky, a slight smile still on her lips but a bit of pain in her eyes, “but woman to woman? Be careful with that one. He can make you feel like the most important person in the world or yesterday’s trash in the blink of an eye.”

Now Becky found her stance turn defensive, she crossed her arms over her chest, “I’ll take my chances.”

“He’s more complicated than he likes to put on.”

“I know that, I know him,” she narrowed her eyes. “In fact, I’ve known him longer than you.”

Emily opened her mouth to respond, but she was cut off by the front door opening again and the sound of paws on the hard wood floor.

“Honey I’m hoooome-oh!” Seth nearly stumbled back as he entered the kitchen and saw the two of them standing there, exchanging sharp stares. “He-hey Em.”

She smiled at him, “I was just picking up the glasses.”

“Right. Uh, this is Becky-“

“We’ve met,” the two said at exactly the same time. Seth shifted uncomfortably.

“I’ll leave you to it,” picking up the box she smiled down at the dog and put on a sing-song voice. “Bye Kevin.”

“I’ll see you,” Seth said, rushing to open the door for her.

“Thanks. Bye Seth, nice meeting you, Becky.” With that, Seth closed the door behind her and leaned against it, his head thumping with anxiety as Becky followed him into the entryway.

He sighed and gave her a little smile, “I like the outfit.”

“I was tryin’ to surprise ya…”

“I like it.”

She rolled her eyes and breezed past him up the stairs, “right.”

“Wait, Bex, wait!” He hurried after her as she retreated to the master bedroom. “Hey, I’m sorry, clearly that was awkward but-“

“Awkward?” She spun around, fire in her eyes. “Ya think that was a bit awkward do ya? Jeez, Seth.” He grasped for words but she shook her head, “what the hell are we doin’?”

His heart sank, “what do you mean what are we doing? We’re dating.”

“How do ya think that felt for her? Six weeks out, she’s not even fully moved out of the house you two shared and you bring home some girl-“

“Some girl? Some girl, Bex?”

“Well what do ya think it looks like? An’ I stood there in this,” she gestured to the silky robe, “like an idiot while she told me to be careful with ya and I... I defended ya. God she must think I am so. Stupid.”

“It doesn’t matter what she thinks and it doesn’t matter what it looks like, you and I know what it is.”

“An’ what is it Seth, huh?”

“It’s…it’s special.”

Becky scoffed, “oh I know this one, it’s special, it’s different this time.”

“It is different!” His voice was raising now with intensity, his brows furrowed with pain as he tried to get her to understand. “You- We- We’re soulmates.”

It hung there in the air for a moment. Becky wasn’t laughing or dismissing him anymore. Her eyes were a little bit watery but she didn’t dare let a tear escape.

“Ya think that now. What happens when ya change your mind?”

Seth looked down and didn’t respond. How could he tell her that he wouldn’t? All of the evidence pointed to Emily being absolutely right.

“That’s what I thought,” she said lowly.

“I want to do right by you, Bex,” he took a step closer, testing the waters to see if she would pull away if he reached for her. “I’ve never felt this, not with anyone and I know I can be a little...I’ve made some terrible mistakes, but this? This is too important. I just need you to trust me.”

She looked up at him again, and now that the space was narrowed between them, he could see all of the fire and all of the pain in those hazel eyes.

“Ya never really fought for anyone, have ya? Ya push ‘em away before they can leave you. It’s what ya did with her, with Dean and Roman.”

Seth gulped and nodded, feeling like those fiery eyes were staring straight into his soul. She sniffed but straightened her back and held her head high.

“Well ya gonna fight for me. For once you are going to fight for this. ‘Cause if you really believe that we’re soulmates, then ya better be prepared to prove it. Got it?”

“Yes,” he took another step towards her, leaning down to flirt his lips with hers, “I’m gonna fight for this.”

“Damn right ya are,” her confidence quivered ever so slightly as he closed the gap between their lips once more and kissed her softly. She backed up slowly and he followed, still kissing as gently as before until the back of her legs hit the bed.

His thumbs came to the tie of the robe, playing with it in his hands. He looked up with a sheepish smile, “can I have my surprise now?”

Becky’s grin returned, “well, I suppose.”


	7. The Main Event

In the couple of weeks that followed, they quickly fell into a routine. Coffee in the mornings, stolen glances backstage, and the midnight hours under the covers of whoever’s room was more convenient that night. They spent a lot of time joking around backstage, grinning at each other and laughing at some joke. There was a fair amount of bickering too, most of it was just foreplay, but some was the ironing out of those relationship kinks. The whole thing seemed to be in double-time, they seemed to be content to skip the honeymoon stage in exchange for something that felt more like they had been together the entire last six years. It had its faults, but both of them preferred the bliss of stability. Becky had taken to calling Seth's house "home" and her own place "my condo," but he hadn't called her out on it yet, happy to just enjoy it. 

They had agreed not to broadcast it around and resist PDA, though Seth always seemed to have an excuse to touch her, but not hide their relationship per se. After so many years of being great friends, it wasn’t strange to anyone to see them hanging out together or sharing a quiet joke of their own. Those closest to them, Roman, Bayley, and Cesaro, had all sensed it pretty quickly. Everyone else seemed content to mind their business. It wasn’t as bad as either of them had anticipated. 

Seth knocked on the door of one of the backstage rooms that was serving as an office tonight.

“Hey Hunter, you wanted to see me?”

“Yeah c’mon in, Rollins,” Triple H, in his crisp suit, hardly took his eyes off his computer as he gestured for Seth to take a seat in one of the chairs. “Sorry, one second. Fuckin’ expense reports, they’ll be the death of me.”

“Living the dream huh?”

Hunter laughed and closed his laptop, “Right. So I called you in just so we can get ahead of this whole thing. No surprises, I’m sure, because I know you have a good head on your shoulders, but we need to talk about the Becky situation.”

Seth sighed, “yeah, I figured I’d be hearing from you about it. Lay it on me, I can take it.”

“That’s good, between you and me, you’re not really the one I’m worried about being unprofessional.” He gave Seth a ‘if you know what I mean’ look and Seth snickered to himself. “Look Seth, I’ve been in your position before, so I get it. I’m sure you’re disappointed.”

“Disappointed?” he furrowed his brow. 

“About your match at WrestleMania.”

“Wait…” Seth shook his head, “sorry I thought…never mind. Let’s back up, what are you trying to tell me?”

“You’re not main eventing. Becky’s on fire, it has to be her.”

“Oh. Ohhhhh.” Seth grinned, “yes, yeah I totally agree.”

“I knew you’d understand, but Brock…”

“How’d he take it?”

Hunter shook his head, “we haven’t told him yet, or Becky and Ronda. Didn’t want it to get back to you like that and I know you and Becky are close.”

“Right, yeah, well, don’t worry about me, I’m not going to go throwing any fits.”

They shook hands as Seth stood and he was halfway to the door when Hunter called him back.

“Hey Seth, what did you think I wanted to talk to you about?”

He froze, his hand on the doorknob, so close. “Oh I just thought you meant you wanted to talk about Becky.”

“What about Becky?”

Seth shifted his weight, “uh, we’ve started to see each other, y’know, romantically.”

Hunter leaned back in his chair, “is that right? Why don’t you sit back down?”

With his tail between his legs, Seth did as he asked and waited for Hunter to dig into him.

“Do you know what it is you’re doing?”

“I do. I really do.”

“If this goes south-“

Seth leaned forward, “I know. I know, Hunter, and I don’t care, because Becky is worth it. You know what that feels like.”

“Ha, yeah you’re the first one to try that on me. You can pull that when you’re married, kid.”

“So you think we’ll get married then?” Seth grinned.

“Fucking hell, just keep it professional, okay? Think with your head not your heart when it comes to work decisions.”

“You got it, Hunter.”

“Oh and don’t go around having sex in the storage closets.”

He couldn’t help a sly smile from forming on his face as he said, “whatever you say, Boss.”

XXX

About an hour later, he had Becky pinned up against the wall in one of the arena’s storage closets. Her hands gripped tightly around his neck to keep her from slipping as he pushed her workout tights and underwear down. She made a little gasp as he quickly slid in and he mumbled a ‘you good?’ in her ear. Becky didn't respond, too busy biting her lip to keep from screaming. As they found a steady rhythm that didn’t threaten to send them both down to the floor, he started mumbling in her ear.

“You’re incredible, you know that?’

“Mmm,” was all she bothered to respond, it was best to just let him talk when he was like this. It got him going, and it was always sweet, so she couldn’t complain.

“My girlfriend is- shit- is the biggest badass in the world,” he panted in between strokes,

“Focus, champ,” she purred in his ear, “not much time,”

“I got nothing but time-“ he picked up his pace and they both had to fight back moans, “for the biggest star this goddamn company has ever seen”

He trailed kisses along her collar bone, "You're completely untouchable."

"You're touchin' me right now," she teased, wrapping her legs around him so that he could use his hands more freely.

"Cause I'm that goddamn lucky. You blow me away, you're undeniable-"

"If ya know what's good for ya," Becky nipped at his lower lip lightly as he pushed her against the wall more firmly.

His lips ghosted over her ear as he moaned into it, "fuck I am amazed by you. You have no idea how proud I am of you."

“Okay Seth, seriously,” she stopped him with a firm grip on his hair. “What has gotten into ya today?”

“I just,” he kissed her forehead, “I want you to know how special you are. How deserving.”

“Deservin’ of what?”

He gulped and she knew he was hiding something. “I…can’t tell you.”

“Seth!”

“You’re main-eventing Mania!” he blurted out.

She slowed her hips to a halt, “what?”

“Hunter told me earlier. You’re doing it, babe.” He pressed his forehead to hers and repeated, “I’m just so proud of you.”

“Oh my god…” she tried to pick up her jaw from the floor to no avail. “I’m main-eventing Mania.”

“You’re main-eventing Mania,” he repeated, kissing her deeply, “do you wanna stop?”

“What?”

“Kinda killed the mood here.”

“Killed the mood? Are ya crazy?” Becky pulled him back into a steamy kiss and rolled her hips encouraging him to resume his wild pace.

When all was done, they readjusted their clothes and hair before sneaking back out and up to catering. The show was just kicking off, buzzing with that signature nervous energy. Seth was off to change, his spot was a little bit earlier than hers, and Becky headed towards the glam squad to get her hair and makeup done.

The girls were chatting and gossiping, you could feel the WrestleMania excitement settling in. Becky kept her mouth shut, her heart was still beating out of her chest, though if that was Seth’s news or his mouth was anybody’s guess. The hairstylist pulled her hair into a high ponytail, Becky had taken to the style recently because it kept her hair out of her face, which meant one less distraction and room for error. She wasn’t going to let anything take her match with Ronda away again. Her **main event** match with Ronda.

“Almost done?” came a voice, breaking Becky out of her thoughts. Triple H had just walked up.

“Uh yeah, think so,” Becky croaked out through the cloud of hair spray over her head.

“Got a minute?” He gestured for her to follow him back to his current office. “Won’t take long, I suspect you already know what I’m going to say.”

Becky took a seat across from him and tried to keep her voice even, “I…I’m not sure what ya mean.”

Hunter smirked, “yeah, alright. Your boy can’t keep a secret longer than an hour, which would mean he probably told you oh,” he glanced at his watch, “thirty minutes ago.”

“My boy?”

“I imagine his big mouth is only worse when it comes to you, so if I had realized I would’ve told you and then Seth. But you’ve done a surprisingly good job keeping it quiet.”

The realization set in and she internally groaned to herself, “he did tell me ‘bout the main event, tried not to, but I pressed ‘im. But uh, he didn’t happen to mention that he told you about…us.”

“Well,” Hunter shrugged, “I pressed him.”

“Not great at secrets, huh?”

“Congratulations, Lynch.”

“For which?” she teased.

“Both. And neither, they’re both double-edged swords.”

“Thank you. I won’t let ya down.”

Hunter leaned back in his chair, “can I give you a piece of advice, as an old man and your former mentor?”

“Former?” she crossed her arms, “take that back.”

“As your mentor?” his face was serious, “guard your heart. This business is brutal, I don’t need to tell you that. If you let your love life into it, be prepared for what that’s going to feel like.”

XXX

After the show, Seth and Becky were shuffling around each other in his hotel bathroom. It wasn’t the biggest of spaces and she was starting to wish she had just gone and gotten ready for bed in her own room before coming back here. At least then it would’ve gotten some use. As Seth brushed his teeth, she braided her hair on each side, trying to navigate around him to see in the mirror.

She glanced over at him as he rinsed his mouth, “so Hunter knows about us then?” It wasn’t really a question.

Seth turned on a sheepish smile, “sorry.”

“It’s alright,” she laughed, “though ya may have warned me.”

“Now that would’ve been a mood killer,” he kissed her cheek and gave her butt a quick squeeze. She squirmed trying to not lose her grip on the end of her braid. Seth walked back to the bedroom, packing up some clothes on the bed and Becky followed, sitting down next to his suitcase.

“Hey Seth?”

“Hey Bex?” he snickered but his face dropped when he saw that serious look in her eye. “What’s up?”

“Is there any part of you…are you disappointed at all? About Mania.”

The color drained from his face and he shook his head, “don’t ask me that.” He turned around to fish his gear out of the duffle he had brought to the show.

“Why?”

“Because!” he spun around, “there is no right answer. I say yes, you’ll think I’m an asshole. I say no, you’ll think I’m a liar.”

“I don’t want the _right_ answer, I want the truth.”

“No, you don’t.” He shook his head again, refolding his gear for a second time. “No good comes of a conversation like that, it’s just a trap.”

She stood up now, cornering him, “that’s really unfair, Seth.”

“The question was unfair.”

“Just because ya don’t want to answer it doesn’t mean it was unfair.”

“It’s just-“ he stammered, “it’s complicated, Bex. It’s not that simple.”

“I never asked for simple,” she was trying not to raise her voice but it was getting difficult when he was like this. “I asked for the truth and for some reason, ya can’t seem to give it to me.”

“Yes.” His voice was low and steady.

“Yes? Yes what?” Truth be told, she had forgotten what it was they were actually fighting about.

“Yes, there is a part of me that is disappointed, sad, angry even. An ugly, selfish part that I would very much like to keep away from you forever if that’s alright with you.”

Becky stepped back and sat back down on the bed, “no.”

“No?”

“It doesn’t work like that. Ya don’t get to pick and choose what you share of yourself, I want all of ya or nothin’ and all I don’t need protectin’.”

He chuckled and sat down next to her, “don’t I know it. This is my dream Bex,”

“I know.”

“It’s your dream too, I know that, I do.” Seth looked down at his hands, “I wish you hadn’t asked me that. I don’t want to hurt you, ever.”

“Love doesn’t work that way,” she whispered, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.

“Love, huh?”

“Oh lord,” she pushed him away playfully, “don’t ya start with me, I am way too tired for that. Which side ya want tonight?”

“Hmmm right.” He moved his suitcase back down to the floor and helped her as she turned down the bed. With a glance over in her direction, he said under his breath, “you’re the one who used the L-word.”


	8. That's the Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clearly cannot be consistent when it comes to deciding to change real people's names or not, so just a blanket statement this is meant to be fiction, not speculation.

Avoiding being seen together was starting to become a tall task. A few photos had started to surface of the two of them out and about. His new coffee shop was a minefield and they both knew it, so it wasn’t exactly surprising when reports surface about them there together, paired with a couple of sneaky photos too. It's not that she minded people knowing she was with him, after all, he was smart and talented, hardworking and goddamn gorgeous. But it was theirs. Those moments, curled up on a bench exchanging barbs in low voices over their morning coffee, she loved them. She didn't want to share. 

It was part of the gig, she told herself, and it would only get worse the longer they were together. Brie Bella had texted her the last week when a picture of the two of them on the Vegas Strip surfaced. Well actually, it was both of the twins on Brie's phone, and probably their brother too, all out to brunch when it popped up. Becky couldn't help but wonder how the hell they even knew it was a legitimate thing, but they were sweet, if a tad overbearing. The fans, the paparazzi, the scrutiny, they would all seem less of a big deal with time, according to the Bellas. One day, after months of stressing about it, Becky would wake up and realize she simply didn't care anymore. Nothing would matter but "you and your man," (that text was definitely from Nikki) and once that happened, it would all fall into place. When the time was right they could make it public knowledge, take up the mantle of power couple that "Braniel" had left when Brie retired. Better them, the girls insisted, two people who genuinely loved each other (Becky let it slide, just barely) than a pushed together couple for the sake of ratings. Plus if they just told Hunter no he'd make sure it stayed out of creative, Brie and Nikki had both given their okay before it got written into their stories. This was no one's relationship but theirs, Brie reminded her, slightly ironically. It didn't matter if there were photos or accounts of them looking "very cozy," it would never belong to anyone else.

Their advice was good to hear, even if she hadn't exactly asked for it. Both of them had managed super public relationships in the business for years, with slightly different results. 50/50 odds weren't too bad. Best in the casino actually, she had learned that on that weekend road trip to Vegas. 

Stretched out on his bed, Becky sighed as she scrolled through the dirtsheet article on her phone, they were going to have to make a call soon.

“What’s with you?” Seth asked, drying his hair with a towel, another around his waist. He seemed particularly tan this week and she was enjoying how it highlighted his muscles so much she hadn't even called him out on his spray tan habit. A little bit of water dripped off his hair and down his chest, though she pretended not to care. It was best not to give his ego too much too soon.

“Nothin’ there are a few pictures from yesterday. Apparently, we were flirting over the St. Patty’s cold brew.”

“Ah.” He casually walked over to her and snatched the phone out of her hands.

“Hey!”

“Put down the phone, Rebecca,” He held it above his head.

She kneeled on the bed and reached for it, “give it back!”

Seth lifted it an inch higher, his eyes hot on her. One of the straps of her loose tank top had slid down her shoulder and she hadn’t fixed it, allowing it to slip down on her cleavage a little as she moved suddenly. He licked his lips, “you’ll get it back when you can behave.”

Defeated on the height battle, Becky faked him out with another attempt at it, letting him stretch up before grabbing on to the fold of the towel around his waist. His eyes lit up as she tugged on it just enough to let him know he was at her mercy, but not enough to unravel it. She had lost the other strap in the process, but she pretended not to notice, it could only help her now.

“What if I don’t behave?”

“You’re not even going to want it back, but I’ll make you a deal.” He placed the phone slowly back onto the bedside table, eating up the view all the while. His fingertips came to grip the top of her tank top, rubbing her nipples with his thumbs through the thin fabric. “If you get that towel down before I pull this baby down, I’ll give you your phone back."

“I could just make a run for it.”

“Hmm,” he slid the fabric down and up against her and she arched her back with a little gasp, “but then I think you’ll lose.”

“Loser has to play with one hand tied behind their back for the rest of the night and you’ve got a deal, Rollins.”

“Kiss on it?” he waited until her lips met his and pinched down hard. She squirmed and gave him a little gasp of delight. Within a few minutes he had wrestled her down to the bed, their bet, and whatever she had been looking at, long forgotten.

XXX

Seth was watching the fancy instant espresso machine whirl when he heard the front door open and the distinctive scampering of paws on the hardwood floor.

“Hey Ma,” he called as his dog and his mom rounded the corner, “you’re early.”

“He was driving me nuts, missed you too much.” She chuckled as Kevin ran up to Seth excitedly. “Do you own a shirt?”

“I do and I choose not to wear them if at all possible. You want coffee?”

“Sure,” she sat on the tall island barstool and accepted the cup he handed her.

Seth took a sip of his own and reached down to pet Kevin’s head. “You know, you really can’t just drop by. What if I had company?”

“Oh is Becky here?”

If he wasn’t completely and totally unsurprised he may have choked on his coffee. “What do you know about Becky?”

“She upstairs?”

“Yeah, still sleeping. What, you’re prowling the dirtsheets now?”

His mom laughed, “not exactly. Your brother mentioned something.”

“Braaaaandon,” Seth groaned. “Tell you what, if it’ll get you off my back, we’ll come by for dinner tonight and you can meet her properly as my girlfriend.”

He swore he could see her ears perk up, “girlfriend?”

“So that’s a no to the getting you off my back thing then?” He tried to dismiss it with a joke but she only sat and waited. “Yeah, we kind of skipped the casual dating bit. I mean, we’ve been friends for so long.”

“Good. You know, I remember meeting her, what 4 years ago? WrestleMania? Before you won the title.”

“Oh that’s right. With our accidental matching gear.” He grinned at the memory of her wrapping her hands around his waist for a hug after her match. “That was a good night.”

“You still had that blonde streak.”

“Alright.” His family had long taken on the collective responsibility of making sure the fame didn't go to his head. The blonde streak was possibly his easiest target.

His mom peered over her mug at him, “you know what I thought when I first met her?”

“That hair color does not come from nature?”

“Well yes, and that’s her.”

“That’s her?”

“That’s the girl. I don’t know how to tell you this, Seth, but you are not sly. I’d be willing to bet you had a crush on her even then.”

Seth sighed, “and I would be out ten bucks.”

She grinned at him, “why didn’t you say something?”

Shaking his head, he said, “she was with this MMA guy. Cesaro thinks they came close to getting married. Plus I was trying to make things work with Zahara.”

“Mm. Right.”

“I know how you feel about that one.”

“I’m sure she’s a lovely girl but you didn’t want her. You wanted out.”

He hung his head, “yeah, you’re right.” Nervously, he rubbed the back of his neck, “Mom…you know nothing happened between us while I was with Emily, right?”

“Oh Becky would never have put up with that,” she smiled, “hey, you’ve grown. You’re not making yesterday’s mistakes, that’s all I can ask for.”

“She’s good for me.”

“I know.”

He was about to say something else, about how he was starting to think he loved her and how it scared the crap out of him. Before he could get it out, he heard footsteps on the stairs. “Morning Bex.”

“Morning. Oh hi Mrs. Rollins,” Becky came over and gave his mom a hug before kissing Seth on the cheek and filling herself a cup from the espresso machine. “Would’ve put on something a bit more presentable if I knew you were comin’ over.”

She was dressed in baggy sweatpants and an oversized sweatshirt, neither of which were remotely what she wore to bed last night. Seth knew his mom wasn’t buying that for a second, but she smiled and told Becky not to be silly.

“Seth actually just promised me you’d come over for dinner, properly introduce you as his girlfriend.”

Becky’s eyes darted over at him, “that sounds great, we had no plans.”

After his mom had left, Becky shed the sweatshirt, revealing the skimpy bralette underneath.

“Now that’s more like it,” he teased, plopping down on the couch next to her and planting a kiss on her cheek. She rolled her eyes but leaned back against him. “She likes you, you know. Always has. They all do.”

Becky nodded, “I want them to, I mean, wanna be a part of that.”

“That being…”

“Your family.”

He smiled, “I was hoping that’s what you meant.”

“She uh,” Becky shifted in her seat, “doesn’t think I’m a homewrecker, does she?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“I know how it looks Seth, people are bound to say it was fast.”

“And **I** say it was right on time. Plus, uh,” he looked at her through his long lashes, “she figured I was pining over you for a very long time.”

“How long?”

“Long enough that you should start making up the ground.”

She laughed and kissed him light and easy. Settling back down, she said, “I like ‘em too. Your family?”

“Good, I like yours too,” he took her hand.

“Not as much as Big E though,”

“No one as much as Big E.” He reached up and ran his fingers through her hair, “I’m serious Bex, this is good. We’re good together. You gotta stop worrying about if anyone else knows it.”

“I know. There’s a reason I had a no wrestlers rule.”

“You really should’ve known that would lead to you falling in love with one.”

“In **love**?”

He blushed, “uh we should probably get going, we’ll be late meeting Sheamus and Cesaro.”


	9. The Celtic Warrior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The video that inspired this chapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuMzzdAOd2M&t=1800s

Seth had arranged the shoot at one of his favorite local gyms. They didn’t get much of a crowd during the middle of a weekday so the owner was happy to shut it down for a couple of hours in exchange for some social media promotion and free coffee for all of his staff that morning. Becky was in a playful mood, taunting him the whole ride over about how she was going to beat him today. She’d even goaded him into a bet, whoever completed more reps could have whatever they wanted for the whole night. After, of course, they got back from his parent's. 

Becky had promised herself she wasn’t going to flirt with him during the shoot. Deadboys Fitness was important to him, she took it seriously, and this was a big cross-promotion opportunity for him. Plus, the more she slipped up and they had to edit out, the more man-hours it would take to get the video up. But boy was he testing her restraint. She was good during the pre-workout shots, as they compared their recovery scores and he complained he did not sleep well at all last night, even though she could’ve told him that herself. He teased her about her tendency to lose count of her reps and she hardly even engaged, though he’d pay for it later. It was the workout itself that got her. They hadn’t even started before Seth had lost his shirt and somehow his tan skin was already glistening. She always loved watching him do his thing in the gym, it gave her the chance to appreciate how athletic he was, how quick and smooth, without the added worry of one of his matches. It took a lot of effort to keep her eyes forward and her mind on her form.

After they cooled down a bit from the truly cruel program Joshy had put together for Sheamus, the competitive banter was getting to both of them. It always did, usually just not with cameras on them.

“Tryin’ keep The Man down,” Becky shook her head as he accused her of scaling, which for the record, she only scaled proportionally to her body weight, which isn’t really scaling.

“I thought you were The Man first,” Cesaro stirred the pot, it was his favorite past time.

“No one remembers that.”

“No, no, we both are The Man. Don’t let her fool you, I have the text exchange. I bestowed the title of The Man on her.”

Becky brushed it off, hoping that a bout of energy would hide the flush in her face. Sheamus and Cesaro exchanged a look as it dawned on Seth how dirty that had sounded. He wasn’t wrong. He bestowed it alright, in her bedroom, in the shower, backstage at SmackDown last week. Cesaro’s face was downright giddy as Seth tried to play it off.

They cut, and Becky shot him a glance. He shrugged and went to go set up the battle ropes. That would not do, not after he had teased her all through the entire shoot.

“Tryin’ hold the man down,” she shook her head and walked past Seth setting up the battle ropes.

“You disrespecting me in **my** gym?” he called after her, a sly smile on his face.

“Your gym?” she glanced over her shoulder but didn’t turn around, letting him graze the ass of her workout tights with his eyes. “Ya bribe some lads with coffee and suddenly ya own the place do ya? No no, Rollins, every gym I walk into is my gym.”

She turned back around to set up the box jump station when retorted, “oh your gym, huh?”

“Oy guys!” Sheamus shouted from his station, “quit bickerin’. We all know it’s ya foreplay and no one here wants to think about that. Well, ‘cept maybe Tony.”

“Hey now,” Cesaro corrected, “I just want the juicy details after the fact.”

The room burst out in laughter and Becky went over to help him with the weights. “Reminds me, got a story for ya later.”

“Ooh,” he grinned and raised an eyebrow at her and they giggled like schoolgirls.

Seth’s head whipped over his shoulder, “story? What story?”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it,” she grinned deviously as she set herself up.

“I’m the story, right?” he called form the other side of the gym, “I’m the…I’m the story?”

“Yes, love, you’re the story,” she rolled her eyes and started on her squats. Seth walked past again, changing his mind about his resistance bands. “Will ya help me heavy this up a bit?”

Seth looked her up and down, “heavier? That’s pretty heavy for you already…”

“Holdin’ the man down again,” she shook her head again and with a sigh, he helped her stack another heavy weight on either end of the barbell.

He returned to his own workout and tried to focus on his form rather than hers. His eyes always found their way back to her but he was putting in an honest effort. A few sets later, she made a funny face, half a wince, bitten back. She returned the barbell to the rack and shook out her right leg. Seth stopped his own reps.

“You okay, baby?”

“Yeah, yeah just a cramp.”

“In your knee?”

“I’m fine, Seth.”

Reluctantly, he nodded and let her be. He even told himself it was no big deal that night after they returned from dinner when she passed on cashing in her prize claiming a headache. That happened sometimes, and he couldn’t question it without seeming like a jerk, so he didn’t. It wasn’t until he was backstage at the live show the next day, watching her match on the screen, that he felt a chill go through him as Charlotte wailed on her knee with a steel chair.

He rushed to the trainer’s room as soon he saw the refs come through with her. Normally, he’d at least try to play it cool, not draw attention to their relationship. Today he didn’t care.

“What happened?” he demanded as he found Charlotte standing outside the door. She just glared at him and looked away. “Oh fuck this.”

Without a care about how utterly crazy he looked, Seth burst into the trainer's room to find Becky crossed armed, staring down Triple H.

“Rollins,” Hunter glared at him, “what the hell do you think you’re doing? And Charlotte, this isn’t your business either.”

“Are you okay?” Seth ignored Hunter, his focus solely on Becky.

“I’m fine.”

“Actually, I don’t think you are,” Hunter corrected, “if you were, you’d just let the doc look at your knee.”

“Your knee? What’s wrong with your knee?” Seth looked from Hunter to Becky.

“Well we don’t know, now do we, Lynch?” Hunter answered as Becky looked away. “Because she refuses to let the doc look at her so we don’t know the extent of the damage.”

“How could you let this happen? Both of you!” Seth glared from Hunter to Charlotte.

“She was already hurt,” Charlotte said, far too calmly, “weren’t ya, Bex?”

“Excuse me?” Hunter gave Charlotte a warning look.

“Do the math, H, Rollins’ is going postal. She was hurt already and he knows it.”

An icy silence fell over the four of them as Seth looked desperately at Becky, “I…you said you were fine.”

“Told you.”

“Not helping, Charlotte.” He turned to Becky, “and you, you need to let the doc look at your knee. Now.”

“Why won’t you listen to me? I’m fine!” She stood up, trying to wobble as little as possible as she strode towards the hallway, “this is all dumb. I’m fine.”

“Lynch.” Hunter’s tone was harsh and stern. “You walk out that door without seeing the doctor, you’re suspended. Indefinitely.”

Becky stopped in her tracks just long enough to glare at Hunter. Then she kept walking.

“Becky!” Charlotte called, muttering something else under her breath as she chased after her. “Becky, wait!”

She spun around, daggers in her eyes, “what.”

“Don’t…Don’t be stupid,” Charlotte tipped her head, “if you’re hurt, you need help, it’s okay.”

“Oh you would love that wouldn’t ya? Get me out of the way.”

“Becky I swear, I never would’ve if I had known-“

“Wouldn’t you have? Nothin’ a Flair loves more than makin’ sure no one ever steps out of your shadow.”

“That’s not fair.”

But Becky wasn’t listening anymore, reeling with years of pent up frustration. “Fair? Fair. That’s a funny word comin’ from you Char. Ya handed everythin’ around here, ya get a shiny title reign on a silver plater what is it now, once every six weeks? And the moment, I mean the moment someone else gets the spotlight you have to find a way to rip it away. Not just me, Bayley and Sasha too. You have it your way and there’s only one horsewoman 'round here.”

Charlotte looked at her for a moment, blue eye gone cold. No fire or anger, just emptiness. There was a sting in her voice as she quietly said, “you know Bex, sometimes you make it so hard to be your friend.”

With that she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Becky standing there all alone. She jumped as a hand came onto her shoulder.

“Hey,” Seth held her tightly, as though he was afraid she’d make a run for it. “I talked to Hunter, told him maybe you can see the doc in the morning. Get some sleep first, yeah?”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

The car ride back to the hotel was strangely quiet. Their usual playlist blasted but the silence between them seemed to override it. He looked over at her once and then twice. her eyes were fixed on the passenger side window, looking at nothing in particular.

“Bex?”

“Mhmm?” she didn’t even look back at him.

“Did you uh, did you lie last night? When we got home from my parents?”

She chuckled a little bitterly, “oh c’mon, that can’t be the first time a girl’s used the headache excuse on you to avoid having sex.”

“It’s not.” His tone was clip.

“Sorry, I just…”

“I know. I’m not mad about the sex,” he sighed, “Bex, I…well I’d do anything for you. Anything at all, and I think you know that.”

“Yeah, ‘course I do.”

“I can’t have you taking advantage of that.”

She was quiet for a moment, “I’m sorry.”

Seth reached over and took her hand, pressing it to his lips without ever taking his eyes off the road.


	10. Apologize

It took another week, and several fights with Seth, before Becky agreed to see a doctor about her knee. Time was getting tight, there was only about a month until Mania. Seth breathed a sigh of relief when all her tests came back normal and Becky was told to rest it for a few days. She had probably overexerted it during the workout. They should’ve tweaked the match to avoid anything on the knee, but that ship had sailed. It wasn’t the least of her troubles though, Hunter and Steph had laid the deal out on Raw: they weren’t lifting the suspension until Becky apologized for her many tantrums, two of which involved some “light shoving” as she had described it to him.

That was going to be a problem. Becky’s pride was fiercer than anyone he’d ever met, which was seriously saying something. She sulked around most of the day while everyone who had ever spoken one word to her offered their opinion on what she should do. Seth had started to offer his advice that morning during their daily coffee date. She had jumped down his throat so quickly for assuming he could tell her what to do that it made his head spin. It was probably the third time in a week. So he was surprised when she looked up at him in a quiet corner of backstage, her gaze softened. 

“What do you think?”

“Well,” he sighed, cracking open a water bottle, “I think you’ve come too far and worked too hard to throw it away like this.”

She looked off in the distance like she hadn’t really even processed his words at all. But at least she had asked, instead of bickering with him, right? Taking a sharp breath, she got up without another word. Seth watched on the screens as Becky’s entrance started and she made her way out to the ring. Finn had come to sit next to him, both of them trying not to let on how anxious they were.

“What do ya think she’s gonna do?” Finn asked.

“She’ll apologize,” Seth said surely.

“That what ya told her to do?”

“It is,” Seth chuckled giving his once-lover a knowing smirk, “but more importantly, it’s what you did.”

“Oh.”

Becky’s schoolgirl crush on Finn was one of those topics they avoided like the plague. The other was that they had it in common. All three of them were perfectly happy to pretend there was nothing weird about the situation. But Seth had to admit it bugged him from time to time when he saw her give him that wistful look. Tonight was one of those times. He couldn't help but notice that it probably only made things worse and weirder between all of them.

He was right, and at least that meant she apologized to Steph and Hunter for stepping out of line. Seth sighed with relief, they could put this whole thing behind them now, get back to how things were before the debacle. Then Vince McMahon’s music began to play and an icy chill ran through Seth’s spine. Charlotte would be added to the women’s match at WrestleMania. He’d caught them all off guard, Steph and Hunter looked stunned, Becky was losing it, and somewhere in the distance, he was pretty sure he could hear Ronda having the same reaction. At least Becky stormed out of the arena without fighting anyone this time. Anyone but him that was, but at least she just snapped at him rather than trying to put him in her arm-bar. No one tried to stop her as she packed up her bags and made for the rental car. Seth was particularly grateful that he always drove when the rode together, as he was pretty sure she’d run them off the road tonight.

Back in the hotel room, Seth toed off his shoes and pulled off his shirt. He was about to ask her if she wanted first shower when he noticed she was changing into her workout clothes.

  
“What’re you doing?”

“Goin’ to the gym,” she said simply. Then when he continued to look at her flabbergasted, she added, “I have way too much energy, I’ll just keep you up all night tossin’ and turnin’.”

“Bex, are you okay?”

“Peachy,” she kissed his cheek on her way out, “don’t wait up.”

The hotel’s 24/7 gym was predictably empty for 11pm at night. Becky wrapped her hands up and slid on her boxing gloves. When she started on the punching bag, each punch felt like a relief and a dagger at the same time. The bag swung back and forth as her punches became more and more frantic. She grunted as she started to wail on it, tears bubbling up behind her eyes.

“GodDAMMIT!” Her vision was going blurry as she wildly swung at the bag. It stopped swinging suddenly and she blinked them away to see Seth holding the bag, a soft smile on his face. She stammered, “he-hey.”

“Hey love. Thought you could use some company.”

That set her off, she burst into tears so strong that she shook.

“Oh Bex,” Seth pushed the bag to the side and wrapped his arms around her. “Hey, you’re alright. It’s alright.”

“Everytime I think I’m close…” she sniffled, “it just gets ripped away.”

He held her close to his chest as she sobbed into his t-shirt. “Let’s go up to bed, yeah? C’mon.”

They snuck back up to their hotel room, holding their breath as it dinged at the hotel bar. The last thing Becky wanted was for anyone, especially Charlotte, to see her like that. When the hotel room door closed behind them, Becky sunk down on the bed and looked up at Seth.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

“Sorry?” He sat down next to her, tipping her head up towards him by her chin. “What do you have to be sorry about?”

“I’ve been such a disaster…I’ve been so awful and selfish. I can’t think about anythin’ but my shit, you ‘ave a match too and we haven’t talked about Brock in weeks. God why would you ever put up with me, why would anyone ever put up with me?

“Because,” he pressed his forehead to hers, “you are the most wonderful person I’ve ever known. You are strong, and tough, and the only thing bigger than that brain of yours is your heart.”

She laughed through tears, he always thought she was smarter than she believed.

“And I don’t care if some days you’re…preoccupied or-“

“You can say it,” she sniffled.

He tipped his head, “single-minded.”

“Selfish. Sometimes I think I want it too bad.”

“It comes with the territory. You think either of us would be where we are if we didn’t want it so bad that we couldn’t see anything else sometimes?”

She shook her head, “I just…maybe Charlotte was right. I make it hard to be my friend.”

“I don’t find it hard at all.”

“Oh we’re friends now are we?” she teased, happy to feel her smile returning.

“Becky, you’re my **best** friend, don’t you know that?”

“Well,” she looked away, “doesn’t really count.”

He kissed her forehead, “Yes, it does.”

“Thanks, bud.” She looked over at him, “sorry, again. For this mornin’?”

“And?”

“And last night… and Thursday afternoon.”

“And.”

“And Tuesday too, jeez I’m sorry alright?” Seth laughed, that cackle that he hated so much but she loved. He kissed her and she pulled him to his feet, backing up towards the bathroom. “Let me make it up to you.”

“By showering so you don’t stink so much?” He grinned.

Becky feigned offense, “ya like sleepin’ on the couch do ya?”

Seth chuckled and stopped kissing her long enough to turn the water on in the shower, playing with the temperature so combined that when with their own steam, it wouldn’t burn them alive. She had stripped off her concert t-shirt and workout pants in the meantime, leaving him to struggle with her sports bra before pulling her into the shower with him.

Becky tugged on his hair to pull him under the stream of hot water. It was heaven, his hands holding her tightly as he pressed her against the cool tiles. His lips were hotter than the water as they trailed up and down her neck, her collarbone, behind her ear. She let her fingertips wander, he was starting to get into Mania-shape, and while his incessant meal planning was exhausting, the effect on his muscles could not go unappreciated. Running her fingers over his chest hair, she pressed her lips to his and chuckled as jumped away from his ticklish spot on the side of his torso. As their kisses became more intense and their breathing more labored, Seth nodded towards the bed.

“Best not risk a slip and fall, huh love?”

She grinned and followed him out, taking great care in toweling him off. Wrapping his hair up into a bun, he walked her back until her knees hit the bed. Then he swiftly tackled her down to it as she laughed and returned to kiss her neck

“Can I ask you something?” He asked, peppering kisses along her chin now and running his fingers up and down her inner thigh. “What tipped the scales?”

“Hm?”

“Well this morning you weren’t sure which way it was going to go. What made you choose to apologize?”

She shrugged, “I dunno. Guess I knew all along it was what had to be done, y’know?”

Seth peered at her with a little smirk, “really. Cause it seemed…like maybe Finn and his _awesome_ abs had something to do with it.”

Becky gave him a playful shove, “don’t ya get jealous with me.”

“Hey, I get it, they’re very convincing.”

“I hate you.”

He kissed her cheek to show her he was just teasing, “you said it.”

“Yeah well,” she rolled him over to his back, straddling him, “I’m not the one who’s slept with ‘im. That’s you.”

“Wait really?”

She could feel the flush rising in her cheeks, “I mean…there were a couple of kisses back when I was 19. Maybe some light groping…”

“What exactly is light groping?” he asked with a cackle.

“Oh shut up,” she pinned his hands down and returned to kissing him.

“Make me.” He grinned as she took him up on the challenge but then pulled away with a devious look in his eye. “Do you want to?”

“Seth!”

“I’m just saying. There aren’t many guys out there I’d be willing to share you with for a night. Finn is one of them.”

She rolled her eyes, trying to disguise the excitement in them, “please, ya want him for yourself too.”

“Sounds like everyone wins.”

“Oh my god,” she tried to distract him by kissing his favorite spot, but he was not going to let it go.

“I’ll need something for your birthday.”

“Oh my god Seth!” she rolled onto her back and pouted, “yours is first, you dope.”

“You’ll have to think of something else.” He crawled on top of her, kissing her cheek again.

Becky bit her lip and met his gaze, “oh yeah, who else is on the list?”

“No.”

“Oh c’mon!” She sat up and grinned, “ya cannot open that can o’ worms and expect me not to ask.”

“I prefer not to get my ass kicked, thank you very much.”

Tickling that spot on his torso again, Becky snuggled against his neck as he squirmed, “tell me! I won’t be mad! It’s not any of the horsewomen, right?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Who? Sami?”

Seth considered it for a second, “yeah, I suppose. But I’d keep an eye on him the whole time.”

“And girls?”

“What part of preferring not to get murdered by my girlfriend do you not understand?”

She purred it his ear, surprising herself with how turned on the whole conversation had made her. “Don’t be like that, just tell me.”

Seth sighed, “let’s see,” he thought to himself, “well, I guess, gun to my head, I’d say Paige.”

“Paige huh?” Becky gave him a devious smile, “I could probably arrange that.”

“Don’t you DARE tell her!” He wrestled her back down underneath him, unwilling to let her get back the upper hand this time.

“But how will we ever-“

“Promise me.”

Becky tilted her head and reached up to kiss him, “promise. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Thank you.”

“Until your birthday,” she grinned.


	11. WrestleMania, Part 1

WrestleMania week happened in slow motion and the blink of an eye all at once. It was constant, exhausting, and everything that both of them had worked for their entire lives. That’s what Becky was thinking about as she looked at herself in the full-length mirror of the New York hotel the day of Hall of Fame. The glam squad had just left her with a full face of makeup and intricate side-swept hair, now she was smoothing over her cape jumpsuit again and again.

“Hey gorgeous,” Seth smirked behind her, “you might want to clear out soon, if my girlfriend finds out I had a beauty like you in my room, well,”

Becky glanced at him in the mirror, “haha. Very cute. I know this isn’t my usual…” she wrinkled her nose, “Is it too much, do ya like it?”

He wrapped his arms around her waist, “I love it.”

“Easy tiger, we’ll be late.”

“No one will notice…”

“Eyes forward.”

He kissed her cheek and whispered, “you look beautiful, really.”

At the ceremony, Becky was surprised to find they had sat her and Seth next to each other. It wasn’t exactly a secret, and she had a sneaking suspicion Hunter was dying to make them the new John and Nikki, but HOF was a ripe environment for rumors. She wished someone had asked her, she would’ve been just as happy a few rows back with Sasha and Bayley.

Admittedly, Seth looked incredible. All black was his specialty, it made him feel like a James Bond villain. That was making it difficult to keep her eyes off him, no matter which of her favorites took the stage. Honestly, she sighed with relief when it was all over with and she could let down her guard a little, have a drink in the reception’s ballroom, and dance with her girls.

Seth hated dancing. He had two left feet, no rhythm and no desire to make a fool out of himself in any situation ever. So instead, he happily sat back at one of the high tables and watched as Becky tore up the floor with Sasha and Bayley. Her one drink rule didn’t even seem to have any effect, she was just as loose and limber as when she got well and truly plastered.

“You look like an idiot with that smile,” Roman said as he approached, handing Seth a Jack and Coke, “just so you know.”

“Thanks brotha,” he clinked glasses and took a sip, “sláinte.”

“Oh. My god.”

Seth nudged him with his elbow, “shut up.”

Roman nodded to Becky as she twirled around the dance floor with Sasha, “she’s having a good time.”

“Good,” Seth grinned, leaning his elbows on the table. “She deserves it.”

“Not gonna join her out there?”

He shook his head, “nah man, I’ll only be in the way. Plus, I could watch her dance all night long.”

“Holy shit.”

“Don’t-“

Roman laughed, “you’re gone, man. You are so in love.”

He blushed and looked down, “yeah, guess I am.”

“You tell her yet?”

“No,” he looked back at Roman, “it’s all so fresh and new. I don’t want to… I dunno, scare her off I guess.”

“You want my advice?”

“Literally never.”

Roman grinned, “don’t wait too much longer. Unless you know what it is you’re waiting for.”

Later, Becky unlocked the hotel room door and collapsed on the bed.

“Ugh I’m drunk.”

“You’re not,” Seth chuckled, leaning down to pull off her shoes for her, “you had one drink.”

“Oh. Then I am fuckin’ nervous.”

He smiled, laying next to her to avoid anything happening to the very expensive jumpsuit she was lent. “I would expect so.”

“Shit. Can I do this?”

“Yes.”

“What makes you so sure?” she looked at him with wide eyes.

“Because you,” he kissed her lips once, then twice, “are incredible and nothing will stand in your way.”

Becky took a sharp inhale, held it for a second and then unceremoniously said, “will ya get my back zipper?”

Seth chuckled, “sure. I am sad to see this go.”

“I dunno, it was a lot of look.”

“You are a lot of look,” he said, pulling the zipper down her spine and revealing no bra strap across her back.

“Thank you?”

He kissed the spot where her neck and her spine met, earning what he knew had to be his last moan of the night.

“You’re going to kill it tomorrow, I know it.”

“What make you so confident in me?”

“Well, I…” He swallowed hard, “I know what I’m dealing with.”

XXX

Morning came too fast, he wished this was one of the mornings when he could just stay in bed holding her for as long as he wanted. But when his alarm when off and he reached over for a good morning kiss, he realized she was already up, singing in the shower. Groggily, he made his way over, calling her name.

“Hey main-eventer,” he shouted over the sound of the water, “room for two in there?”

Becky opened the glass door and smirked at him, he followed her into the steam.

When they got to the arena, the camera crew following their every move for various WWE Network specials, she was a bundle of energy. It hadn’t really set in before, but now it was. She was main eventing WrestleMania.

Seth would go on first. Apparently, Brock had caused a bit of a stink about not being in the main event, and wanted to get home to his family ASAP. It didn’t bother Seth, though it felt a little bit weird that Becky hadn’t even gone to glam squad by the time the preshow had started. He took a deep breath and chugged a bottle of water on the lesser-used guerilla side as he prepared to make his entrance.

“Hey there, Champ,” he felt Becky’s cool fingertips come to his back. “Ya ready?”

“I’m so nervous,” he admitted. “I just want to make you proud.”

In her gray sweatshirt and second-day blowout, he noticed she had never looked more beautiful to him as she reached up and kissed his cheek. “I am already plenty proud.”

“Rollins!” Someone shouted, “one minute!”

“Thank you, one!” he shouted back as Becky laughed at his inner theater kid. “Well. I guess this is it.” He took another breath as Becky took the water bottle from his hand. He shook out his nerves as the clock ticked closer and closer to 7pm.

“Hey Seth?”

“Yeah?” he tore his eyes away from the clock just long enough to look back at her.

“I love you.”

Seth’s mouth hung open, and in the time it took him to pick it up from the ground, his music had started to play. “I…I love you too.”

“Go!”

“Going!”

“Kick his ass!” She called after him as he disappeared behind the curtain.

To be perfectly honest, Seth didn’t really remember what happened next. It all sort of happened in a blur, he hit the ring fast, his energy struggling to be contained. Lesnar’s lethargic entrance drove him insane, he found himself running the ropes just to do something other than stand there and wait. When the bell rang, it all went dark. If someone had told him afterward that he ate a particularly bad F5 and was knocked out in an instant, he would’ve believed them. But that’s not what happened, adrenaline and drive and pure desire took over, his body when into a level of autopilot he’d felt only once before: cashing in his Money in the Bank Briefcase. It did whatever needed to be done. Then the bell was ringing again, Seth just barely aware of his surroundings to realize he had gotten the pin. The announcer’s voice rang out through the arena, echoing in his ears. _AND NEW UNIVERSAL CHAMPION: SETH ROLLINS!_

It was a bit of a miracle he had the wherewithal to stand, hold his new title above his head, and not cry. Usually, he wanted to savor the moment, but he only had one thing on his mind. Well, two things really, the first was not getting beaten up by an incensed Brock Lesnar. The second was Becky’s arms and hearing her say those words again. Both accounts meant he did just enough to satisfy the crowd, including a title swing for good measure, and got the hell out of there.

Backstage cheers and applause erupted. Hunter was always the first to congratulate a new title winner, Shawn Michaels usually followed him around on nights like this, and Vince McMahon had risen from his usual spot just long enough to say good job. They shook some hands, patted him on the back. He could see Roman in the back, nodding at him with a smile, letting the crowd whittle down a bit first. Cesaro and Sheamus were trying to fight their way through the mass of suits and cameras and crew, with little success. But it was like the sea parted when Becky rounded the corner and ran towards him, everyone from wrestlers to talent management to the McMahons themselves got the hell out of her way.

Out of habit, he took a glance towards the multitude of cameras documenting the backstage proceedings. They’d done a good job so far of staying out of view or keeping things implicit whenever they did end up on camera together. Avoiding rumors was a lost cause but they were careful not to overtly acknowledge it. Seth was debating how exactly he was going to greet her to make it seem platonic when she flung her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

He melted. The adrenaline had worn off and the ache started to take his muscles, the exhaustion and all the pent-up anxiety from the last week seemed to release like steam from a kettle. The only thing that seemed to be holding him up was her strong arms. He would’ve gladly stayed there, a pool in her embrace, forever, but the flash of a camera reminded him where he was and they pulled away just as quickly as their lips had met. A chorus of aww’s rang out and Seth blushed as he mouthed _I love you_ and kept moving along his receiving line.

When he finally was done nearly an hour later, he retreated to the locker room to shower and get out of his sweaty gear. Becky would be in hair and makeup for the next two hours anyway, and he had gotten swatted away from the glam station on more than one occasion for making her laugh while they were trying to do her eyeliner. She wouldn’t miss him for a little while. Stepping out of the shower and toweling off his hair, his phone pinged from the pocket of his gym bag. A message from hunter, with an attachment to download.

_Hunter: Don’t worry, it won’t go up anywhere until you say so. Thought you might like it for yourselves though. _

Seth furrowed his brow as he downloaded the attachment and then felt a grin forming on his face as the black and white photo of the two of them lip-locked came into view. He texted back a thanks and immediately set it as his phone background.


	12. WrestleMania, Part 2

Seth Rollins was man enough to admit it wasn’t hard to make him cry. Becky put on Bambi the other night while channel surfing and damn, he was a mess. Tonight made him think back to years ago, the night before his cash in, Becky’s first WrestleMania match, and their accidental matching gear. How he’d watched Sasha and Bayley, two of his dearest friends, put on a showstopper at NXT TakeOver, and how he’d cried watching Charlotte and Becky rush the ring after. His girlfriend at the time teased him about it, but it was more mean-spirited than affectionate. Becky adored it, she hardly minded when he got teary at the opening scene of Up or when he broke down into tears during that one song in Hamilton. She just wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest.

That’s exactly what she did tonight the moment she saw him after her match. Her hair was a mess, her makeup smeared, and god, did she look beautiful. She had handed the two belts off to the pit crew to take off Ronda and Charlotte’s plates and replace them with two of her own, then she looked around the crowd for him. He’d hung back, knowing he’d be a right mess and not particularly wanting anyone else to see him like this. Becky didn’t care. She beelined for him, wrapped her arms around his middle as he sniffled and burrowed into him.

“I’m so proud.” He whispered, “so so proud.”

She reached up and kissed him. It was one of those sweet, innocent kisses they allowed themselves backstage in front of co-workers and cameras. There would be a much different kiss waiting for him tonight.

He pulled her into another hug, “I love you.”

“I love you,” she murmured against his chest.

He was never going to get tired of hearing her say that.

After a shower, about an entire bottle of makeup remover, and more conditioner than Becky had ever used in her life, she finally got her hair and face to return to their normal appearance. It was already 2 am, but neither of them seemed tired as the car dropped them off at the Tribeca hotel. Up in their room, Becky looked out the window at the view of Manhattan and took a silent deep breath. Seth came up behind her, wrapping his hands around her waist.

“I know you could’ve done it without me,” he said, swaying back and forth as she held onto his arms and chuckled, “but I’m glad you took me along for the ride.”

“I’ll be sayin’ the same next year when it’s your turn,” her eyes flickered up to his and he kissed her cheek quickly. “I’m gonna wash my face again so you don’t get glitter anywhere…undeseriable.”

He laughed, “appreciate it, but be quick.”

Becky took her bag and retreated to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. For a moment, she savored the night for herself. There was plenty of time to share it. Washing her face again and replying some more expensive moisturizer Charlotte had talked her into buying, she grinned at herself in the mirror. It was everything she ever wanted. She had the title, two of them to be exact, she had the main event, and she had Seth. If there could ever be a perfect night, this was it.

She pulled off her sweatpants and tank top, leaving them in a puddle on the floor with her bra and underwear. Reaching for her bag she considered her options, blue on top, red on bottom? Red on top, blue on bottom? It didn’t really matter much, she supposed. She adjusted the red belt around her waist, noticing that it was the first time she had done that with this particular title, and appreciating the look of it for a moment.

“Bex?” Seth called from the main room, “you alright?”

“Fine, there are too many steps in this skincare regimen.”

He chuckled and she grabbed the blue title, playing with the height in the mirror so that it obscured the view of her breasts but showed enough of the top of her cleavage. Smirking to herself, she opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit room. Seth had taken It upon himself to light a few candles, and he was standing by the window again, his bare ass in full view, pretending to casually look out it.

When he turned around, Becky dissolved into giggles.

“Oh c’mon!” he pouted, his hands on his hips. Just like her, he was completely naked except for the universal championship around his waist. “You stole my idea!”

“You stole MY idea!” She tried to hold her top belt steady as she laughed. It slipped a little, revealing more of her chest.

His eyes darkened at the sight and he slowly made his way over to her, meeting her at the foot of the plush bed. “That looks heavy,” his fingers gripped the top of the belt as his eyes danced along her body, “why don’t you put it down.”

“Not too heavy for The Man,” she protested with a grin as he gently pushed the title down. The hard leather strap pressed against her very taut nipples as he did and she let out a little gasp. “Ah!”

“Oh, sorry, too far,” he teased, pulling it back up so that it rubbed against them again. She gave him a look to stop messing around and with the biggest dopey grin on his face, he pressed it against her harder, “up? Down?”

The sensation was more than Becky had bargained for, he was supposed to be the one uncontrollably hot from the stunt. As he rubbed the belt against her again, she let her eyes shut and her head hang back. Easily, he took the title out of her hands and set it across the room on the dresser.

Seth snapped open his own title and set it next to hers, “I’d love to play some more, but I don’t want to explain to Hunter why the Universal Championship needs a new strap.”

Becky giggled as he returned and unsnapped the one around her waist as well, placing it next to the two others. “What a nice happy family,” she mused.

“Be good and I’ll take you from behind so you can lovingly stare at them,” he grabbed her waist and pulled her into a deep kiss.

“You be good and maybe I won’t kick ya out so that they can sleep next to me instead.”

“Now now,” he warned, walking her back and down to the bed, “you might be The Man out there, but don’t you forget who The Man is in bed.”

She pouted, the truth was she loved letting Seth take the reins at home, almost as much as she loved taking them back. Tonight, after watching her main event the show she knew he had dreamed of closing, she figured a little extra control would go a long way for him. Granted, of course, he worked for it.

He crawled on top of her looping an arm around one leg and dropping his head in between her thighs. She cursed in Gaelic, the way she always did when he tapped into her animal brain. At first, his kisses were soft and light, working their way up her inner thighs until he reached her most sensitive spot. He made a show of lapping her up, just to remind her how wet he could get her. Then he dove in and relentlessly licked until she was struggling to breathe, and her heart was beating out of her chest. His teeth scraped the inside of her thigh, looking for just the right spot before sinking in.

“Ah fuck!” Becky yelped and Seth stopped to look up at her expectedly. “Don’t stop, jeez.”

“Dublin?” he asked, rubbing the bite mark gently. Perhaps he had gotten a little over-excited but Becky was too far gone to care.

“No! Keep going or I swear Rollins-“

“What?” he covered her body with his, spreading her legs on either side of his torso and pinning her wrists above her head with one hand. Their size difference gave him a clear advantage when he wanted it. “You’ll do, what, Rebecca?”

The sound of her full name made stop squirming and sink down into the bed. He used it sparingly, but when he did, she was sure he could ask her to do just about anything and she’d obliged. Knowing he had the upper hand, Seth smirked and dipped two fingers into her, his thumb pressed roughly against her clit. As if unsatisfied by the sound she made in response, he lowered his head, swirling one nipple with his tongue and then the other, all wall keeping a steady rhythm lower down. He was always a little too good at multitasking.

Becky grumbled as his victory this round was apparent, “ah fuck you.”

Seth grinned deviously, “say please.”

She huffed, he loved making her beg. “Please.”

“Please what?”

“Please…” she sighed, what else could she do but give him what he wanted? “Please fuck me.”

“Nah I don’t think so,” he pulled his fingers out of her, licking them clean.

“Seth!”

He kissed her softly, lacing his fingers in her hair, “I think I’d rather make love to you.”

Becky bit her lip and looked up at him as her cheeks flushed. “I think I’d like that.”

“Thought you might.” He readjusted them, they’d agreed to go off condoms about a month ago, and while he enjoyed not having anything between them, it did take away a moment for Seth to collect himself. Looking down at her as he slid on, he savored the way her eyelids fluttered shut and she let out a low, lethargic moan. When they had found a comfortable, gentle rhythm, he leaned into her ear. “Say it again.”

She laughed, “what? And new-“ she put on a fake announcer voice, “Universal Chaaaampion…Seth Rollins-oh!”

He caught her by surprise with a sloppy kiss just below her jawline. “You know what.”

“I love you,” she whispered, her hand finding his hair and pushing it back.

“Again,” he wasn’t sure if it sounded like an order or a request, but he didn’t care, and neither, apparently, did she.

“I love you,” louder this time, more assured.

“Please,” now he was begging, and it didn’t even bother him.

“Seth, I love you. I love you so much. I love-ohh,” she was cut off by him rolling them both over so that she was on top.

“No point pretending who’s in charge now,” he gave her a sheepish grin as she ground her hips into his.

Becky reached up to push her hair out of her face the way she knew he loved, trailing her hands down the front of her chest and over her nipples. She looked down at him with a coy smile, “in charge always, ya mean.”

With that, she set the pace, bouncing up and down on him so fast that he groaned and withered. She stole a glance back to their collection of title belts, as if to check that they were still there, and Seth tipped her face back towards his. After all the teasing and his slow, methodical pace from before, they were both ready to burst as she leaned back in the angle he adored.

“Once more?” he croaked out as her head tipped back in absolute pleasure.

Becky laughed, but only ground on him with all her energy before moaning, “I love you.”

That was it for Seth for the night, no way he was going to be able to hold it back any longer. Not that either of them minded, it was nearly 4am when he finished cleaning up and cuddled into her. He pressed kisses up and down her shoulder until she batted him away, suddenly exhausted.

“Sleep now. Sex later.”

It was impossible to argue with that logic.


	13. The Man's Man

April passed in a blink of an eye. The weeks after WrestleMania always did, but with both of them balancing title holder responsibilities, constant travel and desperately trying to find time to spend alone, it seemed faster than usual. Becky sat in his living room, curled up on the couch scrolling through twitter. She was spending more and more time at his place now, if only to cut down on the travel time to see each other. He leaned over and handed her a cup of coffee, catching a glimpse of what was on her phone.

“Bex we finally get a day to ourselves and you’re vanity searching twitter?”

“It’s not vanity searchin’ if I’m searchin' **your** name,” she corrected.

He looked more closely at her screen, it was a sneaky photo from the concert the night before, their arms wrapped around each other as they watched the band from their VIP box. It’s not like he didn’t know there were fans there, they entertained some fun “Burn it down” chants at the end of the night. He just wasn’t exactly expecting word to make the rounds this quickly.

“Oh I actually like that, will you send it to me?”

“Why, need a new home screen?”

Seth sat next to her, raising her legs and placing them over his as his phone buzzed with a photo attachment from “The Man” as Becky had changed her contact to while he was in the shower one night a couple of months ago.

“Shush you.” He looked over at her from his mug, which was still a little too hot to drink. “What’s wrong? Do you want to be more sneaky?”

“No…” she frowned at her phone, “I guess I just…wish I could turn it on and off, y’know? But it’s a switch and once we flip it, it can’t be un-flipped.”

“Nothing says we have to flip it at all,” he shrugged, “Cesaro and Coach Amato have kept it mostly under wraps for years, no one bugs them.”

She gave Seth a look, “which would definitely be doable with ‘em both holding top championships at the same time.”

He rubbed her knee with his free hand, “I’ll do whatever you want, you know that.”

“Course I do,” she looked off for a moment, “Hunter talk to you recently?”

“Like in general oooor…” when she didn’t respond he sighed, he hadn’t realized they’d be going the divide and conquer route. “Stronger together speech, right? Something something brand something something.”

“I wasn’t really payin’ attention either,” she smiled but her eyes were still off in the distance. “I don’t disagree exactly…You could really make the title of The Man’s Man work.”

Seth grinned at that, “I like the sound of that. But?”

“But I just want to believe that I can do this on my own, I don’t need a man to be The Man.”

He shook his head, “you don’t. You did it without me this whole time. Nothing will change that, Bex.”

Sighing, she changed the subject but he kept his eyes on her as she babbled on about some gossip Cesaro had told her last week. He wanted so badly to protect her, but he knew full well she was going to have to protect herself on this one.

XXX

“Rebecca! C’mon, let’s go!” Seth shouted from the doorway, glancing at his watch again. “We’re gonna miss the flight.”

It was hard enough to get through security with one title, but the last four weeks had proven that 3 titles were 3-times as slow. And of course, Becky had left packing to the last minute and was now distracted by a twitter war with Beth Phoenix.

“Coming **dad**,” Becky came charging in from the kitchen, her eyes still on her phone as she dragged her suitcase behind her. She gave him a smile that almost made him forget he was mad at her. Almost.

The two of them clamored into the Uber and Seth popped in his Air Pods, looking out the window. He wasn’t in the mood to get into it with her right now and he didn’t need the Uber driver emailing TMZ about how two WWE Superstars had a row about the importance of timeliness in the back of his cab. They said that most couples had the same 2 or 3 fight over and over again for their entire lives, Becky getting distracted by something and ignoring anything every else was one of theirs. He crossed his arms and tried to let his mind wander to anything else. With any luck, 90 minutes of quiet time would be good for both of them and by the time they made it to the airport, he’d be over it.

Seth was deep in an episode of one of his favorite podcasts when his phone started buzzing incessantly and the sound for twitter notifications interrupted the stream. That was strange, given the amount of people who tweeted at him on any given day, Seth’s notifications were set to only go off when someone he followed mentioned him. They were coming up on the screen so fast he couldn’t actually read them.

“What the fuck?” He murmured. Another notification popped up, a text in the group WhatsApp this time. He read it with a furrowed brow.

**New message from WhatsApp ‘Hounds of Justice’**

_ThisIsMyYard: Well done Rollins._

_MoxIfYaNasty: Subtle, effective, to the point. Not as good as wearing a fake wedding ring on SmackDown but y’know._

_ThisIsMyYard: Well maybe Becky didn’t have a hair tie handy._

_Architect, The: What are you guys talking about?_

Another ping.

**New message from WhatsApp**

_Bayley: Okay, I see you._

_Seth: See WHAT. What is everyone talking about_

_Seth: ???_

_Bayley: *eyeroll* check Twitter_

_Seth: But I hate Twitter._

_Bayley: Just do it!_

So he did, and it took a long ways of scrolling past congratulations from everyone from Xavier Woods to Nikki Bella until he got to the Tweet in question.

“Rebecca,” his voice was stern but shaking. “What did you do?”

She just gave him a coy smile that broke him entirely, a grin spreading across his face. Was he mad at her? He couldn’t remember.

“I don’t know, why don’t we ask him?” he read out loud. “Oh and here’s Beth. Aww relationship confirmation! Congrats guys!”

“I’m still gon’ slap her face off,” Becky said with a grin and then shrugged, “had to happen sooner or later. That okay?”

He reached for her hand and gave it a quick peck, “more than okay.”

Becky looked back out her own window and Seth smirked to himself. Two could play this game. Next her phone was the one blowing up, and he watched carefully as she opened Instagram to find his favorite photo of the two of them, lip-locked at WrestleMania. Now it was her turn to grin like an idiot.

When they arrived in the arena for the live show, Seth felt like every eye was on him. Their relationship had been one of the locker room’s worst kept secrets, but now that the secret was out, Seth was antsy about all of the looks. Becky was cheerful as always, everyone loved her backstage. She insisted they stop by catering so she could get coffees for the glam squad team who spent hours on her elaborate hair and makeup no matter how small the show was. One time she explained that she was at a loss without them, so it was the least she could do.

They dropped off the coffees at the glam station and started back to the locker rooms when a call came from one of the side rooms.

“Hey Becky, got a minute?” Hunter poked his head out.

“Yeah sure,” She started back the other way.

Seth stopped her, “wait. To talk about what?”

Hunter raised an eyebrow, “what, you two do everything in pairs now?”

Becky gave him a quick look, but Seth crossed his arms, “I know you’ve been trying to get talk to us alone about the whole romance program thing. You talk to both of us together, or not at all.”

“Alright,” Hunter nodded towards the office, “both it is.”

She gave him another warning glance as they stepped into the office, but didn’t say anything to shake the united front Seth was going for. Hunter sat across from them in his pressed suit with a knowing smile on his face.

“So,” he said, “out in the open.”

Seth loved Hunter like a father, but right now, he was really pissing him off.

“That’s our business.”

“Sure, no arguments here. But I want you two to think about how much further it can take you if you’re willing to make the most of it.”

“we’re doing fine, H, and as a matter of fact I think the last thing either of us need is for people to go around saying we have what we have because of our relationship with each other.”

“People already say that, Seth. And they will, no matter how you do or don’t capitalize on it. When Steph and I first started dating, we wanted to do everything to keep it out of the court of public opinion. It only made things worse, and that was before the days of, uh what did you call it?”

“Twitter machine,” Seth said bitterly. “Why do I feel like this is a little bit about reliving your glory days through us?”

Hunter held up his hands, “alright, you got me there. I’ll admit you two remind me of us a bit,” he smiled at both of them, “so driven, so hungry. I thought putting our lives out there would be the end of us, I only agreed because Vince made it impossible to say no.”

“Is that the plan?”

“No. Not at all. I’m telling you, from my own experience, it actually brought us a lot closer. Being out there together, both the titles on our shoulders, it was fun, we felt like we were on the top of the world. And the sex was…” he laughed and coughed, “anyway. Look, it was good for us.”

“And ratings.” Seth looked at Becky, wondering why she had gone quiet.

“And ratings, sure. Everyone loves a power couple.”

“Everyone loves to hate them,” Seth corrected. “Do you remember what happened when the Miz brought Renee into his beef with Dean?”

“He stepped over the line,” Hunter admitted, “it was wrong.”

“You don’t know the half of it. You don’t know how that rocked their marriage, how-“

“I think we should do it.”

Both men turned and looked at her, she took a deep breath.

“Since I get a say in this, don’t I?” 

“Of…of course you get a say in this. Bex, I-“

She held up a hand, “I’m not Renee. This is different.”

“I didn’t mean-“

“And,” she cut him off, looking back to Hunter, “I’m not Steph.”

He nodded, his eyes glancing between the two of them.

“I’m Becky Freakin’ Lynch, I’m the Man, and if we’re gonna do this, we’re gon do it my way.”


End file.
